FMI Backs Senate Passage of Kids’ Nutrition Law, Decries Funding Cut

The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) expressed support for the U.S. Senate’s passage last week of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which, according to the Arlington, Va.-based trade organization, “ensure[s] low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals through the federal food program.”

“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act includes provisions FMI has sought to help lay the groundwork for a smooth transition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) customers to use an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card for their transactions at grocery stores,” noted FMI SVP of government and public affairs Jennifer Hatcher. “This is a very positive development and we applaud Sens. Lincoln and Chambliss for their work on it.”

The association was less happy that the Senate slashed funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $1.3 billion.

“Although this cut is not immediate, taking place in 2013, it is on top of another cut to SNAP (2014-2016) that was made earlier in the day on Thursday,” explained Hatcher, referring to H.R. 1586, the state assistance bill on teacher pay and Federal Medical Assistance Percentage extension.