The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics show that the percentage of Americans facing food insecurity has been steadily rising. In 2022, it reached 12.8%. As inflation stays higher than anticipated, President Joe Biden will face a formidable obstacle in the form of this spike in his reelection campaign in November.
With children, single parents, and members of ethnic minorities bearing the brunt of the food insecurity crisis, 17 million American families struggled in 2022 to meet everyone’s nutritional needs.
In February, the Biden administration unveiled a $1.7 billion plan to support programs that aim to eradicate national hunger by 2030.
The rising cost of staple foods like meat, eggs, and milk has been a concern for many Americans; some have even coined the term “meatflation” to describe the trend. According to Gallup, among the G7 nations, the United States has the highest proportion of individuals struggling to buy adequate food. One out of four Americans reported experiencing food insecurity at least once last year.
The USDA food insecurity estimates for 2022 are higher than the same data from 2016, just before Donald Trump took office. In 2022, the most significant number of American families experiencing food insecurity was in 2016, with 15.6 million, or 12.3%. Then, in 2017, the number rose to 15 million, or 11.8% of the total. Children, homes headed by a single parent, and households from minority groups had much higher rates of food insecurity, according to the USDA.
Increasing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one measure Biden has taken to combat the rising cost of food. In February, the government launched a $1.7 billion program to abolish American hunger by 2030.
Most voters know that energy prices are directly related to food costs. As Joe Biden focuses on “greening,” gas prices have soared, and food prices have followed.
