SNAP sees success in the House, but falls short in Senate
A victory for industry and consumers alike, the House of Representatives passed the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2), also known as the Farm Bill, with the bipartisan SNAP Vitamin and Mineral Improvement Act (HR 3841) included as an amendment. With this language, HR 2 would provide SNAP recipients the ability to purchase a multivitamin supplement with their program benefits. The vote marks the first time this multivitamin-mineral policy has been included in the House-passed version of the Farm Bill.
On June 21, the Senate approved its version of the Farm Bill, but declined to include language allowing on multivitamin coverage in SNAP. Industry champion Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the amendment on the Senate floor, but, in the final hours, the Senate failed to consider the amendment.
CRN and member efforts continue…
Leading up to the Senate vote last month, CRN and its members kicked advocacy efforts into high gear. In just three days, CRN staff secured and attended 15 face-to-face meetings with crucial Senators and their staff to illustrate the benefits multivitamins offer and highlight how coverage in SNAP can reduce poor nutrition among those with the least access to healthy food.
Off the Hill, CRN took to social media to inspire voters to tell their Senators to fill the #GapInSNAP with a grassroots social media campaign to support the association’s boots on the ground efforts. The campaign featured 50 different Facebook ads, specifically targeting voters in Michigan, as Senate opposition emanates from Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), minority chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Additionally, CRN placed full page ads in the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News to further amplify key messaging across southeastern Michigan and beyond.
What’s next?
Opportunity still exists to include the SNAP amendment in the final Conference version of the Farm Bill. In the coming weeks, CRN members and stakeholders are encouraged to contact their members of Congress and demand multivitamin coverage in SNAP.
All Americans deserve equal access to good health. A SNAP provision in the Farm Bill will help Americans who might not otherwise be able to meet their basic nutritional needs—ensuring everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, is able to achieve optimal health and wellness. For more information, contact Ingrid Lebert (202-204-7699).