In the ongoing fight against hunger, the biggest wins and losses don’t happen at the local food pantry. They happen in the government — local, state and federal — where leaders shape food policy and funding.
Americans saw that happen in December, when Congress enacted the largest cut to SNAP benefits in the program’s history and cut funding to the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). In January, new SNAP rules took effect in Iowa, regulating what Iowans can and can’t buy with food-assistance dollars.
For a closer look at how these policies affect real people, Business Record reporter Lisa Rossi spoke to Luke Elzinga, the policy and advocacy manager for the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC), the interfaith organization that oversees one of Iowa’s largest food programs. In his role, he often navigates government policies on food assistance and benefits usage.
Here are five key takeaways from their recent conversation on our Iowa Stops Hunger Podcast:
1. Restrictions on SNAP purchases have triggered an increase in traffic at food pantries, where SNAP recipients often go to fill gaps in their grocery lists.
2. The One Big Beautiful Bill canceled the USDA’s annual Household Security Report, which had set the gold standard for hunger data. Without the report’s statistics, people who fight hunger may find it difficult to build and sustain effective support systems nationwide.
3. “Our computer eligibility system for SNAP in Iowa is older than I am,” said Elzinga, 34, indicating the need for updates at the state level. He said the outdated technology — in some cases, with green text on black screens — is inefficient.
4. With new legislation going into effect this year, Iowa has the most restrictive SNAP waiver in the country. Elzinga said there’s an opportunity to use this as a case study of whether SNAP restrictions really result in healthier choices, but he hopes the state will change course if the data shows otherwise.
5. Changes to food policy have ripple effects. A National Grocers Association report found that policy changes prompted by the One Big Beautiful Bill will cost retailers and grocery stores about $1.6 billion in compliance costs and operational challenges in its first year of implementation. Most grocers will pass the costs along to consumers, increasing food prices for everyone.
To hear the full 30-minute conversation, head to businessrecord.com/iowa-stops-hunger-podcast or stream the Iowa Stops Hunger Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
Iowa Stops Hunger is an ongoing Business Publications Corp. initiative to raise awareness about food insecurity and inspire action to combat it.
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