SNAP - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

A very Very long email From the Connecticut Democratic Party...Which is actually about an important subject FOOD FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT.

I hope the length and wordiness is not a turnoff on this important information. If so, just cruise to the end and click on the link.

Our Congressional delegation in Washington D.C. has taken a stand against the latest cuts to SNAP in the most recent Farm Bill. And this week, Governor Dan Malloy took immediate action to prevent Connecticut residents from losing their SNAP benefits as a result of the latest round of cuts.

 [...]

NO FAMILY IN AMERICA DESERVES TO GO HUNGRY: SNAP CUTS

SNAP was established as an assistance program for low-income families to ensure they could put food on their tables. As Democrats, we believe it is the duty of a good government to help those who need help in critical areas such as buying groceries.

Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, have referred to SNAP as another entitlement that promotes government dependency. Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan in particular referred to SNAP as “a hammock that lulls able-bodied adults to a life of dependence and complacency.” This is not true.

PROGRESS IN CONNECTICUT

To prevent an estimated 50,000 low-income households in Connecticut from losing their SNAP benefits, Governor Malloy directed his Administration to meet the new standards of the 2014 Farm Bill. By dedicating additional energy assistance dollars to eligible SNAP recipients, this will prevent an estimated average of $112 in monthly benefits from being slashed from families in need. Additionally, the Governor’s directive will preserve approximately $66.6 million annually in SNAP benefits for households in Connecticut.

Governor Malloy:

“Connecticut, for one, will not stand by while our low-income families and elders are put at risk by Washington politics. I have directed my Administration to take all necessary measures to protect Connecticut beneficiaries of the federal SNAP program from the negative consequences of the Farm Bill.” 

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman:

“Our decisive action means that Connecticut residents will be held harmless from the worst type of cuts at the worst possible time in one of the most critical of national safety-net programs.”

ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL

For the second time in less than three months, SNAP benefits have been cut. Last fall, $5 billion was cut from SNAP, costing roughly $17 to $36 a month in food assistance for Connecticut families. This is after Republicans initially proposed a $40 billion cut to the SNAP program. 

In the latest Farm bill reauthorization, a total of $8.7 billion in additional cuts to SNAP will take place over the next ten years. On the whole, this may cost families who rely on SNAP assistance $90 a month, or the equivalent of 34 meals. Nationwide, 850,000 households will receive less SNAP aid, while it is estimated approximately 65,000 Connecticut residents will receive less aid.

The Facts:

• In 2010, this program lifted nearly 5.2 million Americans over the poverty line. This included 2.2 million children.
• Nearly 47 million Americans across the country depend upon food stamp assistance to feed their families. Among this group are low-income families, disabled individuals, veterans and senior citizens.
• Food stamps only provide roughly $4.50 a day in assistance to recipients.
• SNAP boasts one of the lowest error rates of any federal program in the country.
• Every dollar in SNAP benefits generates $1.79 in economic activity.
• Denying families SNAP benefits also denies their children free meals at school.
• On average, half of SNAP recipients are on the program for only ten months or less.

All seven members of our Congressional delegation understand the consequences working families will face with this latest round of draconian cuts to SNAP, and have voted against SNAP cuts in the past.

[Ed: Here are quotes from our 2 Senators and the Congresswoman from the 3rd CD, which includes New Haven County. I have cut out the others.]

Senator Richard Blumenthal:

“We should keep faith with struggling families in America, including more than 400,000 Connecticut residents, by maintaining current levels of SNAP funding, and expanding food assistance in the state and across the country if needed.”

Senator Chris Murphy:

“There is no doubt that Congress needs to reduce spending, but balancing the budget on the backs of our nation’s most vulnerable is foolish and irresponsible.”

 

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro:

“These cuts are terrible for families on the edge, terrible for our economic recovery, and terrible for the future. Imagine we had a miracle vaccine that made everyone who took it healthier, and encouraged children’s growth and brain development. If such a vaccine existed, wouldn’t we try to vaccinate every child in America? We do have that vaccine and it is called food.” 

 

If you stand with President Barack Obama, Governor Malloy, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy, Congressman Larson, Congressman Courtney, Congresswoman DeLauro, Congressman Himes, Congresswoman Esty and other Democratic leaders, add your name to our petition: CLICK HERE TO STAND WITH DEMOCRATS AND PRESERVING SNAP.

Support the Fast-Food Workers Strike

[click on this title to read full article] Fast-Food Workers Will Strike On August 29 — Here's What You Need to Know 

This link Courtesy of Jere Eaton at http://www.blackct.us/

© AP

“On what I’m earning right now you have to choose between paying your rent and eating the next day,” says 32 year-old Christopher Drumgold, a father of two who works at a McDonald’s in Detroit. His story, along with that of thousands of others, is finally coming to the spotlight as employees are mobilizing to say that their wages are unsustainable and unsupportive. According to the Census Bureau, the income threshold level for a family of four to be in poverty is $23,000. Yet the median pay for a fast-food worker is just about $18,500, based on a $9/hour payment — over $4,000 less than the poverty level.

Fast-food workers and labor groups are now calling for a $15/hour minimum wage and many are also asking for opportunities to unionize. Beginning with walk-outs in individual fast-food restaurants last year, the movement has progressed from the local to a national scale. A national strike by fast-food employees is set to take place on August 29.

Here are three important points to keep in mind about the fast-food worker strike.

1. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. This is the wage that many of the strikers receive. While the workers are demanding almost double the federal minimum wage, a request that almost no business person would immediately indulge, here is some more perspective regarding a livable wage.[... more at full article]

2. Fast-food employees are non-unionized. [...more at full article]

3. It is important to recognize the major demographics involved in the fast food industry. Jezebel highlights the main groups: “The average fast food worker is 28 years old. Two thirds of the industry's workforce is comprised of women; their average age is 32, and they are mostly women of color. The majority are supporting children and families on $7.50 minimum wage, no benefits, and few hours. (Few work full-time because the industry cuts work hours at 32 hours so they don't have to give benefits…).” While the economic situation is burdensome in isolation, the other marginalized identities of many fast-food workers have their own set of relevant challenges with daily living. [...more at full article]

Seriously, people. It will raise the cost of each not-so-happy meal by a few cents, but improve all of our lives and livelihood. Boy-and-Girl-cott all fast-food joints on Thursday to prove the point. Eat at your local food truck or small business restaurant instead.

Milford Farms and Farmers' Markets

Supporting local agriculture is fun

By Barbara Currier Bell
As seen in the MilfordMirror on July 26, 2013 

In the early 21st century, Connecticut has been getting back to its family farming “roots.” Environmentalists promote family farming as wise land-use policy, especially in Milford, blessed with prime agricultural soils. Health-conscious “locavores” demand access to food with the freshness, high nutrient levels, and low pesticide burden provided by neighborhood farms.

Finally, economists emphasize small-farm rewards due to employment, land-use diversification, and so-called “external” efficiencies, meaning efficiencies realized from the services nature supplies free of charge. Milford has three summer farm markets: One at Treat’s Farm in Woodmont, one in downtown Milford by the train station, and one in Devon on Route 1 between Naugatuck Avenue and the Washington Bridge. These markets support family farms by giving them new outlets for distribution.

[Editorial insert]
The Downtown Milford Farmers Market runs every Saturday through October, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the parking lot near the River St side of the Milford Railroad Station. All the vendors are self-producing Connecticut farmers. Features Scratch Bakery goodies and breads, locally grown vegetables and herbs, hormone-free meat and poultry, and much more.

The Village of Devon hosts a farmers market on Sundays at the municipal lot at 120 Bridgeport Ave. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fresh seafood, fruits, vegetables, flowers and baked goods. WIC and DSNAP vouchers accepted. Live music.

The Woodmont Farmers’ Market at the Robert Treat Farm is held Wednesdays. Located at the corner of New Haven and Merwin avenues, the Woodmont Farmers’ Market will be open every Wednesday, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., through the end of September, rain or shine.

So far so good, but community-supported agriculture (CSAs) up the ante. They’re small farms using direct distribution. Whether alone or supplemental to farmers’ markets, CSAs are more nitty-gritty than the markets and more fun.

First, “fun.” Typically, the way a CSA works is that members pay a set amount in advance for a summer’s worth of farm product. On a certain day each week, members pick up a basket of food at their CSA, but they don’t know in advance what’s going to be inside. They might get a few items they’ve never heard of, such as bok choy, kohlrabi, or tatsoi, radishes in unlikely shapes and colors, red currants or white eggplant or purple squash they scarcely know how to prepare.

Besides sheer novelty, these unfamiliar species offer way more diversity than a customer ever finds at a grocery store, even counting exotic imports. Then consider the abundance. Flowers and herbs can be cut as bonuses to the weekly basket, and, sometimes, when a particular vegetable or berry crop ripens all at once, members can pick all they want.

Next, “nitty-gritty.” CSAs bring members up close and personal with farmland. Sometimes, as mentioned, members act as farmhands themselves; in any case, when members are at the CSA they see their food growing, not just sitting on shelves. The ecological connections underlying agriculture are evident all around.
Here, the farming history of Milford comes alive. Sun, rain, and the slow progress of the seasons rule. Farm work is more than isolated individuals can do by themselves, so community becomes important, as reflected in the way CSA members share a common schedule and set of basket items; additionally, many CSAs celebrate the end of their year in September with a party for all their members—a feast entrée from the farm, the rest pot-luck.

Originally, America was a nation of farmers. What our forebears called the “symmetry” of nature was all-important: They tried to preserve it with diligence, patience and frugality.

Today we use the term “sustainability.” Regardless of the label, the basic concept is illustrated in every CSA: Human beings are not “above” nature, but embedded in it together with all nature’s creatures.

Our health depends on the health of the land.

Re-Defining Food, Marriage, and Cars

Here are some concurrent but unrelated images people put on facebook this week....

Ground turkey recalled again

From CBS News online    By David W Freeman
Cargill has issued a recall of about 185,000 pounds of ground turkey over fears the meat may be tainted with salmonella. The recall, which was announced on Sunday, came after a test revealed salmonella bacteria in a sample from the same Arkansas plant tied to a recall issued last month.


The second recall is much smaller than the one the company issued Aug. 3, which involved 36 million pounds of ground turkey. That recall followed a salmonella outbreak that federal health officials said had sickened 107 people in 31 states, killing one person.

No illnesses have been tied to the second recall, which was initiated after the positive test at the company's plant in Springdale, Ark., the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.
[...]

The second recall involves trays of ground meat, patties and chubs, the USDA said. The products were distributed nationwide under the Kroger, Fresh HEB and Cargill's Honeysuckle White brands.
All ground turkey made at the Springdale plant has "P-963" or "963" on the package, in a USDA seal or perhaps on the cellophane[...]. Consumers who bought products bearing that identification number can call 888-812-1646 for instructions on what to do [...].

Government officials say even contaminated ground turkey is safe to eat if cooked to 165 degrees. But it's also important that raw meat be handled properly before it's cooked and that people wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling it. Turkey and other meats should also be properly refrigerated or frozen and leftovers heated.

Alert: Papaya Recall We Didn't Hear About

Yes, the Recall was issued 3 days ago and No, I can't find anything in the local "news" about it.  Luckily, I get Rosa DeLauro's Press Releases....
DAMN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA!!!!!!!!!!!

DELAURO: PAPAYA RECALL HIGHLIGHTS NEED TO FULLY FUND FDA

Washington, DC— Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Ranking Member on the Labor, Education, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee,  released the following statement today in response to the recall of all Papayas imported from Mexico by Agromod Produce, Inc. of McAllen, Texas due to potential Salmonella contamination. Currently, there are 97 cases of Salmonella poisoning across 23 states, including 10 hospitalizations that are possibly linked to these Papayas.

“This recall is a prime example of why we must fully fund the Food Safety Modernization Act. This legislation, signed into law last year, has the capacity to strengthen and modernize our food safety system—but will only be successful if it has the tools and authority it needs.

“Nearly 100 Americans are suffering because they consumed contaminated fruit and our food safety system was not able to prevent it. The Food Safety Modernization Act gives the FDA new tools to better ensure that the food we consume, including that imported, is safe. We have charged the FDA with the responsibility of protecting American consumers, but the House majority has tied their hands by cutting its funding by $280 million.  Essentially, we are asking the FDA to do more with less, and it will not work. We should be investing in the FDA, not limiting its ability to effectively protect Americans.”