Parke Wilde, PhD, of Tufts University is available to speak about the elimination of the SNAP program from the Farm Bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday.
Dr. Wilde can explain why this vote does not spell the end of the SNAP program. Although the House Republicans are pushing for two separate bills (one for SNAP and one for farm programs), he believes the Senate is likely to keep them united in one bill. This is because the main components of the Farm Bill--SNAP, farm subsidiaries, crop insurance and conservation programs--comprise the bulk of USDA budget. Politically, the farm bill unites urban legislators, who support SNAP, and rural legislators, who support farm programs.
An Associate Professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, much of Dr. Wilde's research involves analyzing data from federal food assistance programs, particularly SNAP. He has co-authored peer-reviewed papers and federal government reports on food spending and dietary quality among SNAP participants and the impact of new breastfeeding guidelines within the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
He blogs regularly at http://usfoodpolicy.blogspot.com/
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