Jimmy Panetta

We write to respectfully request that you include additional funding beyond what has already been provided in FY 2022 appropriations legislation for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) in omnibus spending legislation or any…

You talked about a relationship between the USDA and the Department of Energy specifically dealing with funding on grid reliability.

We have to remember that the people who we are talking about on SNAP are usually low-wage workers.

I would say that is one of the primary things that we see, just an additional investment and a need for technology support in our rural communities.

I am well aware not only of the benefits of our agriculture to our community and our country, but also the many, many challenges faced by that number one industry in the number one agricultural state in the nation, California.

the very idea that you are leaving fruit behind in the field is horrific from a food waste perspective and feeding hungry people

Under Secretary Torres Small, do you think the application process could be more accessible or streamlined?

Now, in my district on the Central Coast of California, as I always say, we have a lot of bounty, and we have a lot of beauty.

I look forward to working with you on that and many other issues as we approach the 2023 Farm Bill as well.

We can help address the need for emergency food bank support by providing an additional $900 million for food purchases through TEFAP.

It is time to think about who are our traditional college students now.

I appreciate your comments regarding building on the proven success of flexibilities during COVID-19.

So expanded TEFAP funding--and we are recommending $450 million in annual mandatory TEFAP funding in the next farm bill--would help reduce that dependency on buying food.

Recently, I led a bipartisan letter with my colleague Shontel Brown and the late Congressman Don Young, requesting an additional $900 million to support The Emergency Food Assistance Program, TEFAP.

what we have seen is the desire to use Federal Crop Insurance Program

It takes a lot of work together. It takes a lot of work coming to the table and making sure our producers are at the table to talk about the protections for agriculture, for ag workers, and yes, even for our environment.

This isn't about politics. This really is about policy, policies that we are talking about to deal with a very pressing issue...

I appreciate this opportunity.

I am continuing, though, to hear from food banks in my district about how critical TEFAP is so that they can meet their demand for food.

If this provision becomes law, it will provide a bridge to the next farm bill.

There are many programs in which we can make SNAP more convenient as well.

Those farmworkers are surrounded by fresh fruits and vegetables all day long. Unfortunately, what we have seen is that their access at home is not as plentiful as it is when they are at work, and it has been unfortunate that this has been…

I have been working to get military hunger prevention legislation across the goal line.

This is why we worked with Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Harris, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL), and other Members on a tailored fix that simply puts specialty crop A&O back to its 2020 levels.

I want to focus on something in regards to what you mentioned in your introduction about rural designation.