A dairy organization is calling for the federal government to take action to prevent a “food security and economic crisis.”
The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) is asking the federal government to provide funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) after funding ended on Saturday (November 1st).
WCMA Director of Programs and Policy Rebekah Sweeney calls for funding. SNAP says 42 million people in the United States rely on SNAP to feed families, and “dairy processors – and their partners in the food supply chain – rely on a stable consumer base to keep their businesses running.”
The WCMA says studies show that SNAP households spend a significant portion of their food aid on dairy products, with milk, cheese, and yogurt among the most frequently purchased items.
The group continues, saying that without SNAP funding, the dairy industry could see sales shrink by hundreds of millions of dollars each month.
Republicans and Democrats have not been able to reach a deal to reopen the government and fund SNAP.
Democrats say the USDA can release some funding it has already released, but Secretary Brooke Rollins says she will not release the funding, saying Democrats refuse to reopen the government.
