Hunger in the News: SNAP, Smallholder farmers, and Halloween

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Hunger in the News

New Miami-Dade, Broward food stamp distribution dates, DCF announces,” by Carli Teproff, The Miami Herald

After being swamped by citizens in Florida seeking disaster SNAP funds last month, the Florida Department of Families and Children announced new dates for distribution of benefits. On Nov. 7 through 9, the department will distribute these benefits, which it says will be enough time for everyone who needs disaster relief benefits who missed out last month to receive them.

Four things you need to know about food security in Africa,” by Landry Signe and Eyerusalem Siba, The Washington Post

Food security in Africa has improved over the last decade. However, significant threats to food security on the continent keeps the situation severe. Global initiatives against hunger and poverty leave much to be desired, with programs implemented partially or in an ineffective way. Environmental shocks also threaten food security on the continent, and conflicts in many parts of Africa have caused significant hunger. Dependence on foreign aid also undercuts African nations’ abilities to combat hunger.

We spend $9 billion on Halloween. And a miserable $1.5 billion on world hunger,” by William Lambers, Newsweek

Americans spend over $9 billion on Halloween festivities. Comparatively, the United States government’s entire efforts to combat world hunger only encompasses $1.5 billion. In the 1930s, the Chicago Tribune started a fund to help feed hungry children in the city. On Halloween, they asked readers to spend less on Halloween and to donate the difference to the fund. The McGovern-Dole program only gets $200 million a year.

Helping Smallholder Farmers is Essential to Ending World Hunger,” by Dr. Robert T. Fraley, Huffington Post

Spreading modern technology to smallholder farmers is the world’s best hope for ending world hunger. These farmers are extremely vulnerable to pests like the Fall Armyworm spreading across Africa. Smallholder farms are 90 percent of the world’s farms, making them an essential part of any effort to end hunger.

41 Million Americans Are Food Insecure. Why Are The Media Ignoring Them?,” by Eric Alterman, The Nation

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual report on food insecurity, the number of Americans classified as “food insecure” remained 5 million higher than in 2007, and that 13 million American children are food insecure. Fifteen percent of rural families, and 14.2 percent of urban, are food insecure. The report has received little coverage even with worrying trends beginning to crop up in 2017, despite receiving a lot in previous years.

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