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Extension warns FoodWIze risk if SNAP‑Ed funding is cut; staff outline county priorities and outreach events
Summary
Richland County Extension staff warned the committee that the FoodWIze nutrition-education program could lose state SNAP-Ed funding if federal reconciliation cuts proceed; staff also highlighted extension priorities, a producer-led watershed effort and recent outreach such as the county dairy breakfast.
Adam and other Extension staff updated the committee on program priorities for the 2025–26 academic year and warned that federal SNAP‑Ed funding changes would directly affect the FoodWIze nutrition-education program.
Adam told the committee the federal reconciliation bill being considered could eliminate SNAP‑Ed funding; if so, the state's FoodWIze program (which receives an $8,000,000 portion of a $12,000,000 SNAP‑Ed allocation to the state) would lose its principal funding source and FoodWIze programming in the state could end on Sept. 30 under that scenario.
Extension educators outlined other local priorities and outreach. Anastasia Kurth, crops and soils educator, described work to convene a producer-led watershed group ("We had an initial meeting in April for interest, and we had about 30 people attend") and field events planned for the summer. Kurth also described a hands-on exhibit at the Richland County Dairy Breakfast in which a rainfall simulator demonstrated runoff differences across crop and tillage practices; she said the event drew thousands of attendees and helped engage the public on soil-conservation topics.
Other extension activities noted included sanitary/well testing pilots, aquatic invasive species volunteer efforts ("Clean Boats, Clean Waters" landing checks), and farm-preservation inspections. Staff asked the committee to consider extension priorities as they relate to county support and partnership.
Committee members asked whether the state planned to replace SNAP‑Ed funding from its own budget; staff said state budget leaders were still considering options but no action had been finalized at the time of the meeting.
