REVERSE THE CUTS: SOS COALITION CALLS FOR STRONGER FARM BILL TO COMBAT HUNGER

For Immediate Release:

August 10, 2026

Contact:

Jaclyn Driscoll

jaclyn@sgstrategies.com | (217) 371-7373

**Media Interviews Available Upon Request**

Save Our SNAP Coalition Calls for a Stronger Farm Bill to Combat Rising Hunger

The Senate Agriculture Committee’s decision not to advance the current Farm Bill proposal last Thursday creates the opportunity for Congress to get this right. 

Across Illinois, thousands of families are already hurting because of recent federal cuts to SNAP. In Illinois, program participation fell by 20% or 370,000 people in one year. Food pantries are stretched to capacity, household budgets aren’t keeping up with the rising cost of living and so many of our neighbors are facing impossible choices between paying for food, healthcare or housing. Congress cannot make these issues worse by passing a Farm Bill that fails to protect our nation’s most effective and cost-efficient anti-hunger program. 

SNAP is more than a line item in a federal budget. It’s a lifeline that keeps food on the table for 1.6 million Illinoisans – our children, older adults, people with disabilities, and so many hardworking families. It strengthens local economies. Our local grocers depend on SNAP dollars to keep their shelves stocked. This program provides entire communities with much-needed stability during some of our most economically challenging times. 

The current Farm Bill proposal misses an important opportunity to correct course following last year’s cuts in the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill”, leaving policies in place that shift unprecedented financial responsibility for SNAP onto states. Starting in October 2028, Illinois must cover up to $550M per year in new costs, or risk losing the program entirely. 

We must keep food on the table for the millions of people who rely on it. No one should go hungry because of decisions made in Washington. 

The Save Our SNAP Coalition will continue urging Congress to put people ahead of politics, to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that protects SNAP and the vulnerable populations it serves. Congress must fully reverse all of the historic cuts to SNAP within the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.” At a minimum, the next Farm Bill must make meaningful steps in that direction by delaying the SNAP benefits cost for every state until October 2029, and include no new cuts. Our leaders have another chance to get this right. Our families are counting on it.

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