Thread by @RewireNewsGroup

The @USDA delivered a huge victory for food equity on Monday:

The agriculture department announced it would be changing the way SNAP benefits are calculated, resulting in the largest increase in benefits in history.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides food assistance to 42 million people nationwide. Studies show marginalized Americans are more likely to live with food insecurity and to rely on SNAP benefits.

For example, roughly 13% of LGBTQ adults experience food insecurity—that’s more than *twice* the rate of non-LGBTQ adults.

A large percentage of those receiving SNAP benefits are people of color, disabled, or living below the poverty line.

According to @nytimes, under the new rules, a family receiving $121 per person before the pandemic will now receive $157. The expansion is permanent and does not require congressional approval.

“A modernized Thrifty Food Plan is more than a commitment to good nutrition—it’s an investment in our nation’s health, economy, and security.” —@SecVilsack

The new guidelines have also been updated to reflect changing nutritional recommendations, and to “reflect the true cost of a basic healthy diet,” as @POTUS told the USDA back in January.

With uncertainty about COVID-19 and the delta variant as schools and workplaces reopen, the increase to SNAP benefits, which go into effect in October 1, couldn’t come at a better time.

Food equity is reproductive justice. Ensuring *everyone* has access to basic necessities is a key tenet of reproductive justice, because without these things, self-determination and autonomy are not possible.

For more on how the Biden administration is shifting the country’s infrastructure to support families and individuals, and how these values align with reproductive justice, keep following us here and on Instagram @RewireNewsGroup.