Latest news with #Wanderscheid
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Potential SNAP cuts could impact food banks in Siouxland
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — The Big, Beautiful Bill Act is proposing to cut $300 billion in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that could potentially impact local food banks. 'The biggest thing for Iowa is that it would be at least a $26 million cut to individuals in Iowa. In our service area around Siouxland, that would be upwards of $2 million cuts to local grocery stores and our economy,' said Jacob Wanderscheid, the executive director for the Food Bank of Siouxland. Last year alone, the Food Bank of Siouxland gave away more than 61 million meals, but Wanderscheid said he's worried about that number increasing. Sioux City schools' free summer meal program begins June 9 'Food is going out, about as fast as we can get it into the building. So, with SNAP, if we keep SNAP, we should see that those numbers fade over the summer. If it is cut in the mid-summer, then we would see those numbers spike, so that's our biggest concern,' Wanderscheid explained. Proponents of the changes to SNAP argue they are merely trying to eliminate errors. According to the USDA, the national error rate for incorrect payments in 2023 was 12%. That's out of the 500 million payments issued that year. Iowa currently has the sixth-lowest SNAP error rate in the nation. 'We are improving and really are making sure that those dollars get to the people that it's intended to get to. So we're not seeing people stealing those funds, falsifying documents to get on that. Really, the people that are intended to get that program are in Iowa,' said Wanderscheid. Those in rural areas would likely feel the greatest impact from the SNAP cuts. 'They have fewer food pantries to rely on in Sioux City. We have a fair amount, but when we get outside of Sioux City, having that card that they can just go to, to the local Walmart or their local grocery store, allows them to stay more self-sufficient and have less expenses,' stated Wanderscheid. Story continues below Top Story: Midwest Honor Flight still raising money for June 3 trip Lights & Sirens: Officials searching for Monona County resident after going missing on Missouri River Sports: Dell Rapids claims SDHSBA Class B title with 5-4 win over Dakota Valley in eight innings Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here Additionally, the bill would change exemptions for work requirements, meaning more parents of young children would have to work in order to receive food assistance. 'The food bank's position is that it is still a very young age to add that work requirement for that parent, especially when they might not be in full daycare yet or school yet, so we would like to see that not happen as well,' Wanderscheid expressed. Wanderscheid is planning to speak with Senator Joni Ernst to make sure these cuts won't go into effect and encourages anybody to write to their local legislators to voice their opinions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Food Bank of Siouxland facing challenges after USDA cuts
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — The recent removal of two federal programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to impact not only local farmers and ranchers, but schools and food banks as well. The USDA has cut more than $1 billion in funding for local food banks. KCAU 9 spoke with Food Bank of Siouxland Executive Director Jacob Wanderscheid to see what changes have had to be made for this year because of the funding cuts. How FEMA money is impacting flood recovery process 'Over the next little bit of summer here, early spring, over the summer, the Food Bank of Siouxland will lose about 70,000 pounds of product,' Wanderscheid said. 'That represents about $140,000 worth of value to the food bank.' With the Iowa Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program being cut, officials with the food bank say they will need to remove the majority of their protein products. 'We'll just have a little less choice, a little less fresh product,' Wanderscheid said. 'A lot of what's being cut is milk, eggs, cheese, a lot of that more expensive piece in their diet, which we really highly value. So getting it will be less choice for the residents that did seek food assistance.' Wanderscheid said that this sort of issue is not new to them, but wishes they could have known a little sooner so they could be prepared. 'I think the biggest thing for us was just the swiftness of the cuts,' he said. 'Instead of saying this money had been allocated through this fiscal year during the summer, let that money still stay there and then plan that in the new budget for it not to renew. So the suddenness is the hard thing to kind of adjust to.' Iowa AG Bird moves to strip county of all state funding The Food Bank of Siouxland is currently making a plea to state officials to reinstate the Choose Iowa program. 'We have an ask to the Iowa state legislature to continue the Choose Iowa program that will essentially pick up where that program left, which will allow us to buy local produce and products from Iowans to give back to Iowans,' Wanderscheid said. The Food Bank of Siouxland is also still looking for volunteers to help participate in the upcoming food drive. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
