Maine Anti-Hunger Groups Say Farm Bill Protects State's Poor

PORTLAND, Maine - A coalition of Maine anti-hunger groups says the Farm Bill passed by Congress this week is a win for the state's hungry. Preble Street, Maine Equal Justice and Good Shepherd Food Bank all say the new Farm Bill is important for poor and hungry families in the state because it protects the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and invests in The Emergency Food Assistance Program.
 
The Farm Bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday after passing the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. Anti-hunger advocacy groups in the state released a statement on Thursday that says the bill "confirms what millions of people across the country know to be true: SNAP reduces hunger and poverty.''
 
The groups say nearly 15 percent of households in Maine lack access to enough nutritious food.