The state told the Agriculture Department that it won't participate in the federal Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children program.

Iowa will not participate this summer in a federal program that gives $40 per month to each child in a low-income family to help with food costs while school is out, state officials have announced.

The state has notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it will not participate in the 2024 Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children — or Summer EBT — program, the state’s Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education said in a Friday news release.

“Federal COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and don’t provide long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families. An EBT card does nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic,” Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said in the news release.

  • @Mirshe
    2•11 months ago

    extremely disappointing

    Honestly, I don’t get this. Call a spade a spade. Use words like “absolutely unconscionable”. Use “inexcusable”. Use words that get the gravity across of just how asinine and ABSOLUTELY deadly this will be. Mark my words, despite whatever safety nets exist in the state of IA, kids will starve to death because of this. Make a statement saying EXACTLY that, and point out that the blood will be on Governor Reynolds’ hands.