We are hearing a lot about food insecurity lately due to inflation and the end of SNAP benefits that were available during the pandemic. How bad is the food insecurity situation in Michigan now?

What impact is this situation having on the state’s food bank network?

Why is addressing this situation so critical?

What is the Food Bank Council of Michigan doing to help remedy this situation?

What can the Michigan business community do to help?

As the number of people coming to the food banks increases, the combination of inflation, a substantial lack of support from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the end of the SNAP Emergency Allotments are greatly impacting the Michigan food bank network’s ability to serve families, seniors, and children in every county and community of Michigan this winter and spring.  

Dr. Phil Knight, Executive Director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan, is working tirelessly regarding the ask the Food Bank Council is currently making of Michigan lawmakers to assist with this situation.    

Funding support to the Food Bank Council of Michigan to allow food banks to buy more locally, directly from Michigan farmers, is much needed to shorten our supply chain to ensure more timely access to the fresh MI-grown and produced items to distribute widely to communities as soon as possible.

The Michigan Agriculture Surplus System Program (MASS) is a general fund grant the State of Michigan (SOM) gives to FBCM to purchase the 2nds or “uglies” directly from Michigan farmers.  MASS creates secondary markets for our farmers and if there is a surplus – we’ve created additional markets for MI farmers with our national partner, Feeding America.  MASS rescued 42 million pounds of produce over the last five years.

FBCM currently receives $2 million annually and is urging lawmakers to increase those funds to $20 million annually.

Increasing MASS would allow FBCM access to the fresh food needed to ensure Michigan’s most under-resourced residents have access to fresh, healthy food.