In recent years, the United States has witnessed a concerning increase in the number of American households struggling to access adequate food. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), this issue affected 12.8% of households in 2022, indicating a rise from the 10.2% reported in 2021. This translates to approximately 17 million American households facing difficulties in providing sufficient food for all family members due to a lack of resources. The situation is particularly dire for households with children, single parents, and those led by ethnic minorities.
The worsening food insecurity situation further complicates President Joe Biden’s reelection bid in November, especially as inflation persists above expected levels, even though it has moderated since its peak in June 2022. Critics argue that Biden may face the brunt of the blame for the rising food insecurity despite his administration’s efforts to expand initiatives like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The White House has set an ambitious goal of ending hunger across the United States by 2030, but experts emphasize the pressing need to address the immediate challenges confronting struggling families.
Thomas Gift, founding director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, highlights the direct link between food insecurity and the economy, particularly inflation. Gift believes that while food assistance programs like SNAP provide support to the most vulnerable, they often fail to reach millions of struggling Americans who do not qualify for state or federal entitlement programs. This, in turn, contributes to a growing perception among voters that the economy is not performing well.
The situation in the United States stands in stark contrast to other G7 countries. Data indicates that the U.S. has a higher proportion of households facing food insecurity than any other G7 nation, with roughly one in four Americans reporting instances of insufficient funds to purchase food in the past 12 months. Todd Landman, a professor of political science at the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham in the UK, attributes this disparity to multiple factors, including household income, racial and ethnic disparities, and the decline in wages due to persistent inflation despite an overall improving economic outlook.
Landman emphasizes that existing measures like SNAP provide only partial relief and that larger structural issues within the U.S. economy, related to tax and government resources, need to be addressed to effectively assist the most vulnerable. He notes that the high prevalence of food insecurity, affecting 16 to 17 percent of American households, has become an electoral liability, particularly for Democrats, who are typically perceived as being more concerned with such issues. As the November elections approach, both parties face challenges in addressing this “bread and butter” issue that affects so many Americans.
