Policy Postions »
Domestic Policy Positions
CHC works in coalitions with a broad range of anti-hunger, community food security, food bank staff and faith-based groups to develop and implement a legislative platform focused on broadening eligibility, increasing access to, and enhancing benefits of federal nutrition programs.
In our domestic advocacy and education initiatives for 2011, CHC will work to:
- Secure funding for the Emerson/Leland Hunger Fellowships through public and private resources.
- Oppose legislation that reduces or terminates nutrition and health benefits in any federal nutrition program for low income populations in budget or appropriation legislation through the removal of “entitlement status,” block grant proposals or other benefit reduction packages.
- Partner with allied child nutrition organization in developing comments to USDA regarding implementing the changes in the 2010 Child Nutrition Reauthorization. These new provisions include improving the nutritional quality of school meals and implementing the new “competitive food” rules.
- Oppose proposals that limit food choice for participants in the SNAP program.
- Support legislative proposals that fund expansion of Farm to School programs or provide financial incentives to SNAP participants that purchase healthy foods without reducing current benefits.
- Prepare a legislative platform with National Anti-Hunger Organization (NAHO) partners for the 2012 Farm Bill that will provide SNAP participants with sufficient financial resources so that their families will be able to purchase healthy foods.
International Policy Positions
CHC works with allied organizations to educate and advocate for a comprehensive approach to solving hunger and to promote food security around the world. We envision strong U.S. leadership, a belief in working with other donors and countries in a multilateral approach, and in supporting country-designed, country-owned plans to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, especially MDG 1.
We will also continue to advocate for a role for U.S. and other international and local non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and civil society organizations (CSO’s) in support of hunger and food security program and policy implementation efforts. We support multilateral institutions, particularly the UN World Food Program (WFP), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and work alongside them to achieve food security objectives.
CHC also understands that the private sector, including corporations, local enterprises, and local and international finance institutions, are important players and partners in achieving sustainable food security. CHC will assess such partnerships and work in advocacy alongside private sector, for-profit entities when their policy and program objectives are in alignment with those outlined below.
In our international policy work, CHC advocates for:
- The creation of a Food Security Coordinator to develop, in consultation with Congress and the Administration, a comprehensive food security strategy in a ‘whole of government’ approach, that includes all the government agencies working on food security (USAID, USDA, MCC, etc).
- U.S. leadership in coordinating a multilateral global food security effort, via the World Bank, FAO, WFP, and IFAD.
- Creation of a joint House Select Committee on Hunger/Senate Select Committee on Hunger.
- Increased funding levels for a broad range of emergency and long-term development activities, including:
- A flexible emergency response tool box that includes U.S. commodities, local and regional purchase, cash transfers, and voucher programs.
- Safety net and risk reduction programs intended to reduce the need for emergency interventions and encourage investment by smallholder farmers.
- Nutrition programs for young children, the elderly and other vulnerable populations to ensure that they have the needed nutrition to develop appropriately and live healthy lives.
- Long-term market-based agricultural development efforts that increase incomes of rural poor and smallholder farmers and enhance food security/resiliency to shocks.
- Gender-sensitive and environmental-sustainable program design for all of the above programs are foundational for achieving successful results and improved food security at the household level.