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LiveWell Kingston members plan advocacy as proposed federal cuts target SNAP and SNAP Ed
Summary
Commissioners discussed proposed federal farm bill changes that members said would eliminate SNAP Ed and substantially cut SNAP benefits, and agreed to draft educational materials, collect testimonials, and consider sending advisory letters to local elected officials.
Commissioners at the April 3 LiveWell Kingston meeting spent substantial time on proposed federal changes to SNAP and SNAP Ed and potential local responses.
Kristen, identified in the meeting as a SNAP Ed educator affiliated with Cornell Cooperative Extension/Hudson Valley, told the commission that a House committee draft linked to the federal farm bill would eliminate SNAP Ed — the nutrition-education component that supports school and community programs — and make deep cuts to SNAP benefits. In the meeting Kristen summarized the local stakes: "SNAP Ed has been funded by the farm bill. It is 1% of the overall budget," and she said SNAP Ed funds are a meaningful portion of local programs. Staff added that about "35% of the CHIS budget comes from SNAP Ed through the State of New York Department of Health." (CHIS: Creating Healthy Schools and Communities grant.)
Speakers referenced national advocacy organizations and analyses, including Hunger Solutions New York and the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), as sources for the projected cuts and state-level breakdowns. At the meeting commissioners cited one circulating figure — described by a participant as "$300,000,000,000 in cuts to SNAP" — and asked staff to verify precise numbers and sources before public circulation.
Commissioners agreed on several next steps rather than a formal vote: draft concise, nonpartisan summaries describing the role and local impact of SNAP Ed; collect local testimonials or partnership highlights for representatives; encourage personal (not commission-funded) constituent contacts to congressional offices; and, where appropriate, share materials on social media. Staff said they would circulate draft educational copy and templates for commissioners to use in personal advocacy and suggested the commission might also prepare an advisory letter for the mayor and common council to notify them of potential local impacts.
Speakers asked whether states could make up the cuts if the federal match changed; staff said some proposals would shift administrative and program costs to states and that, based on FRAC analysis, most states would not have the budget capacity to fully absorb the change. Commissioners discussed potential knock-on effects on school meal eligibility and the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Staff noted that CEP eligibility currently references a threshold tied to free-or-reduced-price-meal counts (discussed in the meeting as 25% historically, with proposals to change that threshold) and that local Kingston City School District eligibility sits at about 50% for free-or-reduced meals; changes in SNAP eligibility could affect school meal calculations indirectly.
Commissioners assigned informal follow-ups: Kristen and staff will draft materials and share them with the commission; interested commissioners offered to collect stories or testimonials; and the commission’s communications leads will consider social-media amplification. No formal lobbying directives were issued; staff emphasized the distinction between allowed education and prohibited lobbying by staff or commission resources.
