Pair of bills aim to encourage, require food stamp recipients buy healthy food

[TexasTowelie]

Lawmakers this week will take up measures aimed at promoting healthier eating among Wisconsin residents using food stamps and putting new limits on what kind of food can be purchased using the taxpayer-funded assistance.

An Assembly committee on Tuesday will hold a public hearing on two bills: one that provides discounts on fresh produce and other healthy foods for recipients of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is known as FoodShare in Wisconsin, and another bill that would put new restrictions on what kind of items can be purchased with food stamps.

The hearing on the two bills is likely to renew a debate over whether the state should be seeking to control further what kind of groceries welfare recipients can buy — an effort that has failed in the state Legislature more than once in recent years and would require permission from the federal government.

A 50 percent discount would be applied to fresh produce for FoodShare recipients under a bill proposed by Rep. Mike Rohrkaste, R-Neenah, and Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, which creates a pilot program that gives the discount to 2,000 FoodShare recipients in rural and urban areas and “various discounts” on other healthy food options.

Read more: http://lacrossetribune.com/news/state-and-regional/pair-of-bills-aim-to-encourage-require-food-stamp-recipients/article_2fe187ee-2d88-5eb9-bc32-bb38e4786b37.html

[appleannie1943]

1. I can understand the discount for fresh produce.

They are normally more expensive to buy and poorer people usually can't afford them but the bill restricting what you can and cannot buy is wrong. That would mean that people could not treat themselves to something once in a while, or have ice cream and cake for a birthday party, or cookies or pie for a holiday meal. We were poor when I was growing up and I can tell you, it is not easy. Sometimes, a piece of pie or a dessert is so special, you remember it the rest of your life.

[TexasTowelie]

2. I agree with you.

Fresh produce is comparatively expensive and if not eaten quickly it might spoil so SNAP recipients might avoid purchasing produce. However, trying to regulate what people eat or drink usually results in failure.

[MichMary]

3. It doesn't prohibit

people from purchasing treats; it just says they can't use their Food Stamps to do so.

[dembotoz]

5. ever been on food stamps?

[appleannie1943]

7. When I was on food stamps, I had no money left for treats by the time I paid the bills. To me then

just buying a pair of shoes for my kids was something I had to scrimp and save to do. So, if I could not buy a cake mix and a quart of ice cream for their birthday with food stamps, they just did not have a party.

[dembotoz]

4. sooooo who eats the discount? the store???? the state????? sounds like a check out nightmare

is the really a way to increase the hassle of participation in the programs so that fewer stores take the program?

[dragonlady]

6. If not the purpose, at least the result

It also ignores the fact that many people, for example in Milwaukee, live in neighborhoods where there is no source of fresh food within a reasonable distance.