Por Jordan Rasmussen, ex miembro del personal
Un informe reciente del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos examina el impacto del Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria (SNAP, por sus siglas en inglés) en las zonas rurales de Estados Unidos. Considerado en general como un programa que ayuda a combatir la pobreza urbana y la inseguridad alimentaria, el SNAP ha experimentado un mayor porcentaje de utilización en las zonas rurales desde finales de la década de 1990.
SNAP participation grew exponentially, quadrupling between 2001 and 2013. This growth coincided with the Great Recession and its aftermath. Participation peaked in 2013, when more than 47 million Americans received assistance, but has since fallen by roughly 1 million annually. SNAP protected millions of Americans from the extremes of poverty in a moment of crisis.
The impact of this investment is multifold in a rural community. The report found for every $22,000 in SNAP redemptions during the recession, there was a creation of one rural job. Rural areas in the South, Southwest, Appalachia, and on Native American reservations saw the most pronounced benefit.
In urban areas, the same level of redemptions during this time created .4 jobs. Overall, recession SNAP spending had the greatest impact on local employment of all government assistance programs, including infrastructure projects—this impact has lessened in subsequent years.
SNAP dollars are spent immediately in local grocery stores and retailers, helping keep these community assets open for all residents. Moreover, SNAP purchases stimulate employment in the food processing and distributing industries, which are concentrated in rural areas.
Amidst the backdrop of struggling rural economies, SNAP presents a constant for rural Americans and should be protected by our elected officials.
