Washington D.C. — Federal cuts to food assistance programs are inflicting real hardships for American families. Millions are losing access to SNAP and WIC as grocery prices continue to climb. Today, the Campaign for the Public’s Health, an American Public Health Association initiative, released a new report in partnership with Protect Our Care. Eat Real Food, But Good Luck Paying For It: Cuts to SNAP and WIC Are Fueling a Hunger and Public Health Crisis, examines what’s behind this crisis and what it means for public health.
Signed in July 2025, HR 1 cuts $187 billion in federal food assistance funding over 10 years. In just over a year, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation has already fallen by more than 5 million people, with some states seeing declines of nearly 50%. Now, Congress is considering cutting another $200 million from WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. Advocates warn this cut would leave the program underfunded for the first time in three decades and likely force states to turn away eligible families.
“Food assistance is preventive medicine, and Congress seems to be forgetting that. You can’t promote a diet as the cure for chronic disease while gutting programs that let people afford a healthy one,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, CEO, American Public Health Association. “Every dollar spent on WIC saves nearly two and a half dollars in medical and productivity costs, per federal research cited by the Food Research & Action Center.”
Leslie Dach, Founder and Chair, Protect Our Care added: “Donald Trump and his allies in Congress made a ‘Big Ugly’ choice to rob food aid, Medicaid, and ACA tax credits from millions of struggling families to pay for more tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. After promising to lower costs, Trump’s first order of business as president was to take food and health away from working Americans, while rewarding the same corporations that have price gouged families. They chose to abandon the hungry to feed the profits of the uber wealthy. After manufacturing greater food insecurity and a health care affordability crisis, the Trump administration poured salt on the wound with an unrealistic new food pyramid that would tack on over $1,000 to family grocery bills every year if followed. Now the Trump administration desperately wants praise for their empty policies that won’t lead many to healthier diets, only harder choices like whether to put food on the table or see the doctor.”
Read the full report for the data behind the crisis and what’s at stake if Congress doesn’t act to protect food assistance for families in need across the nation.
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The Campaign for the Public’s Health, an initiative of the American Public Health Association, is bringing together partners and allies from every sector to stand up for healthy people and healthy communities. It is focused on driving lasting change and building a stronger, fairer and healthier future for all.
The American Public Health Association champions optimal, equitable health and well-being for all. With our broad-based member community and 150-year perspective, we influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.
Protect Our Care is dedicated to making high-quality, affordable and equitable health care a right, and not a privilege, for everyone in America. We educate the public, influence policy, support health care champions and hold politicians accountable. Learn more at www.protectourcare.org.