FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2026   

MEDIA CONTACT: Deb Ondo, Communications and Engagement Manager, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts debo@foodbankwma.org Phone: 413-419-0170.   

[May 1, 2026, Chicopee, MA]  – The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is disappointed and deeply concerned that the Farm Bill passed by the House of Representatives falls short at a time when the need for food assistance remains high. The bill does nothing to address the deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enacted under H.R. 1, nor does it reduce the proposed shift of SNAP administrative and benefit costs to states. Together, these decisions will make it nearly impossible for many households to access food while increasing pressure on already strained state systems and food banks across the country. 

Across our region, 120,000 people each month rely on food assistance to help make ends meet. At the same time, we continue to see the limits of the food assistance network.  Food banks play a critical role, but we cannot meet the scale of need alone. 

Federal nutrition programs, especially the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are foundational. SNAP provides nine meals for every one meal the Food Bank distributes. It supports families, strengthens local economies, and ensures farmers have reliable markets for the food they grow. SNAP benefits alone inject more than $35 million into Western Massachusetts every month. 

Beginning in October 2026, states will be responsible for a much larger share of administrative costs, increasing from 50 percent to 75 percent. Starting in October 2028, states will also be required to cover a portion of SNAP benefits for the first time in the program’s almost one-century history. 

These changes would add significant financial and administrative burdens to the Massachusetts state budget. In practice, it could lead to reducing access to benefits or scaling back other essential services.  

As the bill now moves to the Senate, senators have the opportunity to strengthen the Farm Bill to ensure it supports people facing hunger, our local economies, including our farmers. We urge lawmakers from both parties to strengthen key provisions: 

• Protect and sustain SNAP as the nation’s most effective nutrition and food security program. 
• Avoid shifting additional costs to states in ways that could limit access to benefits  
• Increase investment in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) to ensure nutritious, locally sourced food reaches communities through food banks like the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts 

“The Farm Bill has long reflected a shared understanding: when people can access the food they need from our nation’s farmers, communities are stronger and our food economy is more resilient,” said Andrew Morehouse, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. “We remain committed to working with policymakers and community partners across Western Massachusetts and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to ensure the final Farm Bill upholds this commitment.” 

Together, we end hunger. 

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About the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: Since 1982, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has been a dedicated partner in the work to end hunger. We provide nutritious food directly at our Mobile Food Bank and Brown Bag: Food for Elders sites, and to our region’s food assistance network of nearly 200 food pantries, meal programs, and shelters across Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties. We also engage in public education and advocacy to address the drivers of hunger because we believe access to food is a right.