Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 2/17/18

Instead of infrastructure week, we here at MA got "America's Harvest Box" week. We've been on the hunt for groups, lawmakers and experts who like the Trump administration's pitch. When a call for help on Twitter didn't turn up much, we asked USDA to point us in the right direction. The comms shop flagged that the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine did issue a statement in support of the concept, calling it a step in the right direction. 

"It's great to see the USDA recognize that SNAP is lacking basic nutritional requirements, which is exacerbating obesity, heart disease, and diabetes among the millions of Americans who rely on this critical program." says Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition education for the Physicians Committee. "America's Harvest Box is a positive sign that the USDA is aware of the growing problem, and this is a good move to the extent it focuses on a healthier SNAP." 

Behind the group's thumbs up: It's interesting that PCRM - which promotes a vegan diet and has called for less dairy and meat in school meal programs - backed the proposal. 

The concept, as advertised in the White House budget, calls for having the boxes contain staples like canned meat and shelf-stable milk. The vegan group has its own ideas about what healthy staples should be included (fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans) and would ultimately like to see SNAP made to be more like WIC, which provides staples for low-income pregnant women, infants and young children.

Heritage lukewarm: We also checked in with the conservative Heritage Foundation to see what it thought of the idea. Robert Rector, a senior research fellow who works on SNAP, said he thought the plan went too far but providing a box of staples would be worth trying for the small sliver of the SNAP population that reports chronically running out of food by the end of the month.
"I actually think the proposal has some merit, but not necessarily in the form they are recommending," Rector said. "It doesn't need to be half of the benefits or anything close to that," he added.