The farm bill supports the federal food stamp program and nutrition programs such as food banks. Speaking at the Cleveland Foodbank Monday, Senator Brown said the programs are outdated. Food stamp values, he said, haven't adjusted to inflation and many low-income families can't afford to eat even with federal assistance.
Sherrod Brown: Food stamps - their values slide down over the last 10 years. We know it's happened with the minimum wage. Finally we've changed that. We know what's happened to the entire safety net for so many people in this country. But, that was then. This is now. What we need to do now is pretty clear.
Brown says food stamp recipients need increased tax deductions. He also says the $140 million that go to our nation's food bank, should be increased to $250 million per year.
The farm bill will make its way to the Senate in the coming weeks.
Tasha Flournoy, 90.3.