Federal Government rejects Iowa’s summer food program

The state of Iowa’s proposal to use federal summer food program funding for its own alternate project has been rejected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. In August, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she again was declining federal funds for the Summer EBT program. Instead, the state asked the federal government to let Iowa use the money for its own summer food distribution program. Iowa Hunger Coalition this week released a copy of an Oct. 4 letter in which the Food and Nutrition Service declined the state’s request. Federal officials wrote that the already-established Summer EBT program is proven to reduce hunger and improve diet quality and has the capacity to reach eligible kids. The letter states that Summer EBT already has a pathway to provide food via meal sites and delivery and that there is limited funding for new projects such as the state’s proposed plan. Iowa Hunger Coalition and other officials held a virtual press conference Monday calling on Reynolds to ensure Iowa opts into the 2025 Summer EBT program.