Food Retailers Get Their Turn to Talk SNAP

By: Hannah Walker, Director of Government Relations, Food Marketing Institute

It is a rare occasion on Capitol Hill when both parties agree on something. This week, we got a rare glimpse of bipartisanship at a House Agriculture Committee hearing on retailers’ perspectives on USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). FMI was excited that Kathy Hanna, senior director, enterprise payments, from The Kroger Company testified sharing her expertise and experience from accepting the old paper food stamps to the fully integrated national EBT system that we have today.

Kathy’s testimony outlined the unique ability of grocery stores to contribute to the health and wellness of all of their shoppers. Kroger, like many in the grocery industry, employs in-store dietitians, nutritionists and chefs to help all of their shoppers make smart and healthy selections. Additionally, their chefs do in-store cooking demonstrations and provide recipe ideas for families shopping on a budget or with specific dietary needs. Members from both side of the political aisle praised Kroger’s commitment to their shoppers’ health and asked questions on the roles and services the chefs and dietitians provide.

Additionally, in her testimony, Kathy highlighted a particularly successful partnership with Kroger and the AARP Foundation in the Memphis and northern Mississippi areas that have helped incentivize seniors to purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables. Both sides expressed support for initiatives such as these and some asked how they could get them in their districts.

Members of the committee asked thoughtful questions from how proposed FNS rules could affect shoppers’ access to SNAP retailers to technical questions on how the national EBT system works and how proposed changes could remove existing efficiencies. There was a shared consensus between the witnesses and the committee members that as technologies advance so should SNAP EBT.

At the end of the day, it was evident; both sides agreed more than they disagreed. SNAP is essential for the neediest in our community, the partnership with retail is essential for the continued success of SNAP, and finally, there is always room for improvement, but it must be done thoughtfully and with all parties involved.

FMI will continue to work with the committee as it furthers its review of SNAP and begins its work on the next Farm Bill.