The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual Household Food Security report is a Clinton-era survey. It’s designed to help policy makers assess and respond to hunger in the United States.
The most recent survey showed one in eight Montana households were unsure of where their next meal was coming from.
Gayle Carlson is the CEO of the Montana Food Bank Network.
"Without that report, we don't know who's hungry, and we don't know if SNAP and the nutrition programs are helping them at all,” Carlson says.
The Trump administration recently terminated the survey calling it redundant, costly and "Liberal fodder."
Carlson disagrees, saying it offers unique, nonpartisan information.
"This data was used by all policy makers," she says. "It didn’t matter what side of the aisle. It was just reality. Data is the reality."
Carlson says the Montana Food Bank Network is now figuring out its ‘Plan B.’ This may include a statewide survey. She says that would be better than nothing, but not nearly as informative as that now-canceled nationwide survey.
