House-Passed Farm Bill Needs Changes to Address Child Hunger – Save the Children and SCAN

Following final passage of the Farm Bill in the House of Representatives, Save the Children and its political advocacy arm, Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), express disappointment in the bill and urge lawmakers to take stronger action to protect children from hunger and to reinforce critical supports for children and families as the legislation moves toward consideration in the U.S. Senate.

“Every child deserves a healthy start in life, including access to nutritious food and safe, affordable child care. The Farm Bill is one of the most important tools Congress has to support children and families in rural America and beyond. We appreciate that the House bill supports rural child care, including provisions of the Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act. Families across rural communities face severe child care shortages, and investing in – and expanding access to – high-quality care helps parents work, strengthens local economies and ensures young children learn and thrive,” Save the Children Chief Policy Officer Christy Gleason said.

“At the same time, we are concerned about the needs of children and families when it comes to fighting hunger. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the first line of defense against child hunger in the United States, especially in rural communities where families are often already struggling with higher food costs and fewer economic opportunities. The House Farm Bill does not provide states the support and flexibility they need to ensure families don’t lose access to food assistance.”

Several states have raised concerns about the potential impact of the upcoming SNAP benefit cost-share shift set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

The bill also reauthorizes Food for Peace, which for decades has been a cornerstone of U.S. leadership in combating global hunger and delivering lifesaving food assistance to children. However, we are concerned that new provisions in Food for Peace, including new directives, floors and earmarks, will constrain the program in ways that compromise emergency food assistance as well as programs that address the root causes of hunger.

“We urge the Senate to ensure that the Food for Peace program has the flexibility to get lifesaving food aid to the world’s hungriest children, no matter where they live, and that the program retains the ability to give communities the tools to break the cycle of humanitarian crisis,” Gleason said.

"We applaud language to reauthorize McGovern-Dole Food for Education and appreciate the inclusion of a new provision that allows these programs to better adapt to local conditions and prepare for graduation from U.S. assistance. We urge the Senate to adopt this proposal.

“As the Farm Bill moves ahead, we look forward to working with the Senate to address our remaining concerns and build on the positive steps in this proposal.”

SCAN has been mobilizing supporters across the country to urge Congress to prioritize children’s needs. Since January 2025, SCAN’s nationwide grassroots network has generated more than 1 million messages to policymakers calling for stronger investments in nutrition, early education and global food security.

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Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we’ve been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust.