The Farm Bill is a comprehensive federal law that shapes nutrition assistance, agriculture and food systems across the country. Renewed approximately every five years, it includes programs that affect farmers, families experiencing food insecurity and food banks like Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee.
What is the Farm Bill?
The Farm Bill is federal legislation that governs a wide range of food and agriculture programs. It is divided into sections, known as titles, that address areas such as nutrition, agriculture, conservation and rural development.
For hunger-relief organizations, the nutrition title is especially important because it includes programs that help millions of people access food and support the work of food banks and community partners.
Learn More About the Farm Bill
Why the Farm Bill Matters for Hunger Relief
The Farm Bill helps shape some of the nation’s most important nutrition and hunger-relief programs. Two programs are particularly important to the work of food banks and the neighbors we serve:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
SNAP helps eligible individuals and families afford groceries and is the nation’s largest federal nutrition assistance program.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
TEFAP provides USDA foods and other resources to food banks, which distribute food through community partners to neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
Why Second Harvest Advocates for a Strong Farm Bill
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee advocates for a Farm Bill that strengthens nutrition programs and supports access to food for neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
Federal nutrition programs and the charitable food system work together to help families put food on the table. A strong Farm Bill helps ensure programs like SNAP and TEFAP have the resources needed to serve communities across Northeast Tennessee and throughout the country.
Farm Bill Resources
Learn more about the Farm Bill, federal nutrition programs and the policies that affect hunger relief.
Use Your Voice
Advocacy helps ensure elected officials understand how federal nutrition programs affect families and communities. By staying informed and contacting your representatives, you can help support policies that strengthen access to food.