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Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Household Food Security in the United States

Press Release
Release No.
USDA 0169.13
Contact: FNS Press Team

Washington, DC, September 4, 2013 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement on the release of the USDA Economic Research Service analysis Household Food Security in the United States in 2012:

"Food insecurity remains a very real challenge for millions of Americans. Today’s report underscores the importance of programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that have helped keep food insecurity from rising, even during the economic recession. As the recovery continues and families turn to USDA nutrition programs for help to put good food on the table, this is not the time for cuts to the SNAP program that would disqualify millions of Americans and threaten a rise in food insecurity. For our part, USDA will continue to deliver a strong nutrition program with an error rate that is at a historic low.”

Page updated: February 07, 2023