In 2023, the Iowa Food Bank provided meals to more than 661,000 families. (Adobe Stock)

Congress is debating a budget bill that could result in significant cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

Those reductions would not only fall squarely on Iowa’s most needy families, but trickle down to the food banks that feed them.

At the Northeast Iowa Food Bank alone, the number of meals served has jumped from 6 million to 8 million in the last two years.

Executive Director Barbara Prather said the demand continues to rise – and if Congress cuts SNAP funding, it will spike even higher.

She added that not only will hungry Iowans be affected, but also the businesses and other support services – especially in rural areas.

“You know, we have a lot of rural grocery stores,” said Prather. “We have a rural hospitals. So, a lot of them, you know, rural grocery stores, SNAP is a part of their income. Medicaid is a part of the income for hospitals.”

Congress has discussed shifting some Medicaid and SNAP costs to states – but in many cases, social service agencies will be unable to afford the increased spending, and some hospitals may be forced to reduce already limited services or close altogether.

Nationally, at least 780,000 people could become food insecure if Congress cuts SNAP benefits.

Lawmakers have said they are addressing fraud and waste.

Feeding America’s Chief Government Relations Officer Vince Hall said the cuts are an overreach, and dangerous for the people who rely most on the services.

“Instead of addressing fraud in a thoughtful and effective way,” said Hall, “it’s using fraud as an excuse to hurt people who are honest, hard-working – seniors who are in their golden years, people with disabilities, active duty military. And it is harming all of those families.”

The House has passed the budget bill. It’s pending in the Senate.