Nutrition

One barrier to good nutrition for many low-income women is lack of information - about both available services and healthy eating. The Report Card examines two policies that states can adopt to counteract this problem. First, states can use federal matching funds to inform people that they are eligible for the Food Stamp Program, which helps eligible low-income people buy nutritious food. Outreach efforts are critical to ensuring that these eligible people participate. (1) Recently, enrollment in the program has increased in the wake of growing need and after a steady decline in the mid to late 1990s following the enactment of welfare reform legislation. (2) Second, states can help promote good nutritional habits in low-income communities through participation in the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP). Through this program, states can receive federal matching funds as long as they demonstrate that their program educates recipients about healthy eating, handling food safely and managing a food budget.

Data Points for this Issue:

  • Food Stamp Outreach

      Strength Of Policy 2007 Change From 2004
    ALABAMA No/Harmful Policy Same
    ALASKA No/Harmful Policy Worse
    ARIZONA Meets Policy Same
    ARKANSAS No/Harmful Policy Same
    CALIFORNIA Meets Policy Better
    COLORADO No/Harmful Policy Same
    CONNECTICUT Meets Policy Same
    DELAWARE No/Harmful Policy Worse
    DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA No/Harmful Policy Worse
    FLORIDA Meets Policy Same
    GEORGIA No/Harmful Policy Worse
    HAWAII Meets Policy Better
    IDAHO No/Harmful Policy Same
    ILLINOIS Meets Policy Better
    INDIANA No/Harmful Policy Same
    IOWA Meets Policy Better
    KANSAS No/Harmful Policy Same
    KENTUCKY No/Harmful Policy Worse
    LOUISIANA No/Harmful Policy Same
    MAINE No/Harmful Policy Same
    MARYLAND No/Harmful Policy Worse
    MASSACHUSETTS Meets Policy Same
    MICHIGAN Meets Policy Better
    MINNESOTA Meets Policy Same
    MISSISSIPPI No/Harmful Policy Same
    MISSOURI No/Harmful Policy Same
    MONTANA Meets Policy Same
    NEBRASKA No/Harmful Policy Same
    NEVADA Meets Policy Better
    NEW HAMPSHIRE Meets Policy Same
    NEW JERSEY No/Harmful Policy Worse
    NEW MEXICO No/Harmful Policy Same
    NEW YORK Meets Policy Same
    NORTH CAROLINA No/Harmful Policy Same
    NORTH DAKOTA No/Harmful Policy Same
    OHIO Meets Policy Better
    OKLAHOMA No/Harmful Policy Same
    OREGON Meets Policy Same
    PENNSYLVANIA Meets Policy Same
    RHODE ISLAND Meets Policy Same
    SOUTH CAROLINA Meets Policy Same
    SOUTH DAKOTA No/Harmful Policy Same
    TENNESSEE Meets Policy Same
    TEXAS No/Harmful Policy Worse
    UTAH No/Harmful Policy Same
    VERMONT Meets Policy Same
    VIRGINIA No/Harmful Policy Worse
    WASHINGTON Meets Policy Same
    WEST VIRGINIA No/Harmful Policy Same
    WISCONSIN No/Harmful Policy Same
    WYOMING No/Harmful Policy Same
     
    Meets PolicyMeets Policy 22  
    Limited PolicyLimited Policy 0  
    Weak PolicyWeak Policy 0  
    No/Harmful PolicyNo/Harmful Policy 29  
    Better Better 7  
    Worse Worse 9  
    Same Same 35  

    Is the state using federal matching funds to conduct outreach to ensure that all eligible individuals are enrolled in the Food Stamp Program?

    States that conduct outreach with their federal funds receive a "meets policy," while those that do not engage in outreach receive a "no policy."

    Data Source: Food Stamp Outreach, 2006.

    Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture, "Food Stamp Program: State Options Report," October 2006, available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/Memo/
    Support/State_Options/sixth/options.pdf    , accessed May 9, 2007.

  • Food Stamp Nutrition Education

      Strength Of Policy 2007 Change From 2004
    ALABAMA Meets Policy Same
    ALASKA Meets Policy Same
    ARIZONA Meets Policy Same
    ARKANSAS Meets Policy Same
    CALIFORNIA Meets Policy Same
    COLORADO Meets Policy Same
    CONNECTICUT Meets Policy Same
    DELAWARE Meets Policy Better
    DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Meets Policy Same
    FLORIDA Meets Policy Same
    GEORGIA Meets Policy Same
    HAWAII Meets Policy Same
    IDAHO Meets Policy Same
    ILLINOIS Meets Policy Same
    INDIANA Meets Policy Same
    IOWA Meets Policy Same
    KANSAS Meets Policy Same
    KENTUCKY Meets Policy Same
    LOUISIANA Meets Policy Same
    MAINE Meets Policy Same
    MARYLAND Meets Policy Same
    MASSACHUSETTS Meets Policy Same
    MICHIGAN Meets Policy Same
    MINNESOTA Meets Policy Same
    MISSISSIPPI Meets Policy Same
    MISSOURI Meets Policy Same
    MONTANA Meets Policy Same
    NEBRASKA Meets Policy Same
    NEVADA Meets Policy Same
    NEW HAMPSHIRE Meets Policy Same
    NEW JERSEY Meets Policy Same
    NEW MEXICO Meets Policy Same
    NEW YORK Meets Policy Same
    NORTH CAROLINA Meets Policy Same
    NORTH DAKOTA Meets Policy Same
    OHIO Meets Policy Same
    OKLAHOMA Meets Policy Same
    OREGON Meets Policy Same
    PENNSYLVANIA Meets Policy Same
    RHODE ISLAND Meets Policy Same
    SOUTH CAROLINA Meets Policy Same
    SOUTH DAKOTA Meets Policy Same
    TENNESSEE Meets Policy Same
    TEXAS Meets Policy Same
    UTAH Meets Policy Same
    VERMONT Meets Policy Same
    VIRGINIA Meets Policy Same
    WASHINGTON Meets Policy Same
    WEST VIRGINIA Meets Policy Same
    WISCONSIN Meets Policy Same
    WYOMING Meets Policy Same
     
    Meets PolicyMeets Policy 51  
    Limited PolicyLimited Policy 0  
    Weak PolicyWeak Policy 0  
    No/Harmful PolicyNo/Harmful Policy 0  
    Better Better 1  
    Worse Worse 0  
    Same Same 50  

    Does the state have a Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program?

    States that participate in the FSNEP receive a "meets policy" and those that do not participate receive a "no policy."
     

    Data Source: Food Stamp Nutrition Education, 2006.

    Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture, "Food Stamp Program: State Options Report," October 2006, available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/Memo/
    Support/State_Options/sixth/options.pdf    , accessed May 9, 2007.
     

1. Generally, individuals are eligible for Food Stamps if they work for low wages, are unemployed or work part-time, receive welfare or other public assistance payments, are elderly or disabled and live on a small income, or are homeless. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, "Facts About the Food Stamp Program," April 2007, available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/applicant_recipients/facts.htm.

2. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), 42 U.S.C. Ch. 7, Subch. IV, Pt. A; Dorothy Rosenbaum, "The Food Stamp Program is Growing to Meet Need," Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, available at http://www.cbpp.org/6-6-06fa.htm.