In a sweeping and controversial move, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will terminate its Household Food Security Report, a vital dataset that has tracked hunger in America for nearly three decades. The department cited the reports as "redundant, politicized, and fear-mongering", saying they no longer offer actionable value.

Created in the 1990s to support the expansion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the annual reports have long informed decisions on food assistance policy, budget allocations, and public health strategy. Despite a more than 87% increase in SNAP spending from 2019 to 2023, USDA officials argue that food insecurity rates have remained stubbornly high, questioning the effectiveness of the data.

In 2023, the USDA reported that 13.5% of U.S. households faced food insecurity, up from 10.2% in 2021. The trend has alarmed advocates who now warn that ending the survey will cripple efforts to monitor hunger, especially in the wake of significant legislative shifts.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law in July by President Donald Trump, introduces stricter work requirements and state cost-sharing mandates for SNAP in fiscal years 2027 and 2028. These changes are expected to reduce benefits access for low-income individuals, making the loss of national tracking tools even more concerning.

"This sends a signal that hunger is no longer a priority," said Eric Mitchell, president of the Alliance to End Hunger. For organizations working on anti-hunger initiatives, this data was a barometer for impact, helping policymakers evaluate and adjust assistance programs.

For professionals in the agricultural sector, the move has broader implications. Without reliable metrics on household food access, it's harder to gauge how changes in commodity prices, input costs, and supply chain disruptions are affecting consumer nutrition and demand. Co-ops, processors, and local farms serving food banks may now face greater uncertainty when applying for support or shaping distribution strategies.

While USDA has confirmed that the final 2024 report will still be released in October 2025, no data will be collected for 2025 or beyond. The agency says it will rely on other federal data sources to inform its programs-but many argue those sources lack the depth and consistency of the discontinued survey.

Meanwhile, groups like Feeding America warn that more than 47 million Americans, including 14 million children, currently face hunger. In the midst of Hunger Action Month, the USDA's announcement has been received as a step backward in the fight against food insecurity-one that may have lasting consequences for both policy and public health.