Food Prices and Global Demand

May 8, 2008

The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush:

First, let me thank you for the support that you and your team at USDA have provided to our food banks and the people we serve. We are most grateful for the innovative, compassionate approaches that they have found to help emergency feeding organizations.

For the sake of millions of Americans who are struggling to feed themselves and their families, please do not veto the Farm Bill. The nutrition title of this bill offers the first real opportunity in years to reach more of the 35 million people in this country (12 million of them children) who are facing hunger.

Enactment of a farm bill with a strong nutrition title is critical if our nation is to help the growing number of families struggling with the slowing economy, rising food prices, soaring energy and healthcare costs, and record levels of home foreclosures.

The farm bill will help to redress the critical shortage of commodities provided through the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). This program is essential to our 205 food banks, and to more than 63,000 local community and faith-based feeding organizations that provide food relief to more than 25 million people in this country.

In the same vein, the food stamp program must be improved so that it can reach more of those who are eligible. Also, benefits and eligibility levels must be updated to reverse significant erosions. The nutrition title of the farm bill does this.

If the nutrition title of the farm bill is lost to a veto, this nation will fall further behind in our battle to end hunger. We will see more needy people coming to food banks that have nearly empty shelves, people running out of food stamps long before the end of each month, and we will lose the opportunity to offer a helping hand to those in need in these difficult economic times.

I respectfully ask that you consider the needs of millions of our fellow Americans as you make your decision about the new farm bill, and I strongly urge you to sign this bill so that its critically needed nutrition title can begin to help hungry Americans as quickly as possible.

Sincerely,

Vicki Escarra
President and CEO

Farm Bureau has partnered with America's Second Harvest, donating $125,000 and 606,000 pounds of food last year as part of its “Harvest for All” program.