The Trump administration has announced the termination of the long-standing annual Household Food Security reports, a move that raises concerns amid widespread nutrition struggles among Americans. Introduced in the 1990s, these reports served as crucial resources to help state and federal officials devise effective food assistance programs. The most recent USDA report indicated that around 18 million U.S. households faced food insecurity at some point in 2023, which marked an increase from the previous year.
The Department of Agriculture justified the decision by labeling these studies as “redundant, costly, politicized and extraneous,” claiming they only incited unnecessary alarm. The cancellation of the reports was initially highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article and precedes what would have been the release of the USDA’s 2024 survey data.
This decision forms part of a broader pattern within the administration to scrutinize what it deems politically influenced data across various government sectors. For instance, former Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner Erika McEntarfer was dismissed following the revelation of adjusted lower job growth figures, drawing critiques from President Donald Trump calling those numbers “faked.”
Policy analyst Kyle Ross from the Center for American Progress expressed skepticism about the claim of politicization, emphasizing that these surveys have consistently been produced under both Republican and Democratic administrations for nearly three decades. He argued that the data is crucial and not redundant, as it remains the authoritative source for food insecurity statistics in the U.S.
Moreover, Barbara Laraia, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley, classified the USDA report as the “gold standard” for monitoring American food insecurity, underscoring its vital role in assessing the effectiveness of federal food programs. According to Laraia, “food insecurity” encompasses more than just hunger, considering factors like dietary behaviors and nutrient adequacy essential to family health.
Alarm has heightened following concurrent substantial funding cuts to USDA programs that support schools and food banks. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, for example, experienced budget reductions due to legislation passed in July. Aid organizations that provide food services to millions are particularly concerned about these developments.
In the USDA’s 2023 findings, approximately 6.8 million American households encountered severe food insecurity, with many resorting to skipping meals, enduring hunger, or losing weight due to insufficient food access.
This decision to end the survey comes at a critical time when maintaining comprehensive data on food security is crucial for addressing these ongoing challenges. The long-standing reports have been instrumental not only in measuring the scale of food insecurity but also in guiding essential policy decisions to combat hunger across the nation.