Fast Food Chains Lobby for the Use of Food Stamps in Restaurants

[Guest guest]

Yum! Brands, the parent company of several national fast food chains,

including KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, is lobbying the Kentucky state

government to allow the use of food stamps in its restaurants. If the change

in the law passes, Kentucky will join a very short list of only three other

states – Michigan, Arizona and California – that permit food stamps to be

used this way.

As reported by the local newspaper, the* Courier Journal*, Louisville-based

Yum! intends to accept so-called EBT cards for payment, which proponents say

will provide a much needed service for food stamps recipients who otherwise

have difficulties to find a ready-cooked meal.

Supporters of the petition, including advocacy groups for the homeless,

argue that any restaurant business willing to accept food stamps should be

allowed to participate in the program. , a spokesperson for

the *Coalition for the Homeless*, is strongly in favor of the idea. “For

those […] who don’t live near a large grocery store and can’t afford a

restaurant, sometimes their only option is the nearest gas station. […] This

would allow people to get a reduced price meal at a small deli or a

restaurant, and that does include fast-food restaurants.”

Of course, this is not only a concern for homeless people. Elderly and

disabled people, who are unable to cook at home for whatever reasons, can’t

get a prepared meal if they depend on government help to pay for it.

Currently, Kentucky provides support to the needy mainly through its *Food

Assistance Program*, which does not (yet) cover fast food items. Opponents

of the proposed law change want to keep it that way. They argue that the

government should not help push more sales of junk food on poor people at

the expense of their health. In the long run, it would adversely affect the

well-being of entire communities and drive up health care costs for the

state.

In 2010, Kentucky was ranked number seven in the U.S. in terms of obesity

rates, with over 30 percent of obese adults. Childhood obesity and Type 2

diabetes are also on the rise here. Critics say these numbers will only go

up if low-income families are enticed to spend their food stamps at

hamburger joints.

Louisville, where Yum! is headquartered, has been in the news lately for

other reasons as well. Ironically, one might say, the town wants to be known

for its fight against obesity. In 2003, city hall received a grant from the

* Wood Foundation* to help with the construction of bicycle

lanes and to develop a number of small “pocket parks” as part of its

affordable housing projects. To motivate people to drive less and move their

bodies more instead, wider and safer sidewalks are being built.

These may be humble beginnings, but they point in the right direction.

Still, if these few well-meaning efforts remain sporadic and isolated, they

will not make much of a dent. Access to decent food sources and

opportunities to maintain a health-promoting lifestyle should not be so hard

to come by, even in less than affluent communities.

If government can afford to subsidize big industries – and let’s face it,

allowing fast food places to accept food stamps is ultimately a subsidy

program for the corporations who own them – it can also show some support

for small produce farms. Our taxes would be well spent by keeping healthy

nutrition affordable for everyone and by investing in our local agriculture

at the same time. Food stamps should be made welcome at all farmers markets

and urban farms. We also need more grocery outlets in the so-called “food

deserts,” the underserved communities in many inner cities.

These are not revolutionary ideas and they are not hard to implement. What

is missing, mostly, is enough political will.

LINK<http://blog.seattlepi.com/timigustafsonrd/2011/06/19/fast-food-chains-lobby\

-for-the-use-of-food-stamps-in-restaurants/>

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

*The FRUGAL Dietitian* <http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com>

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[Guest guest]

I want more restrictions on what they can purchase - any ideas on how to

start a grassroots campaign for this? I know it took awhile for WIC to do

it....

> **

>

>

> So, mom and pop restaurants now have to process food stamps? Fast food

> junk food via food stamps?

>

> What next? Why not have food stamps for beer too, there are significant

> nutrients in beer.

>

> Frustrating - I know one man that works until he has about $4000 -8000

> saved up, then goes " to town " - rents a cheap motel room, uses his food

> stamps

> and is basically homeless until his money runs out or he gets kicked out

> of every local bar, whichever comes first He may spend a couple weeks

> under a bridge if his money gets low too. . . but, trust me, he always

> keeps

> enough cash handy to buy beer.

>

> People feel sorry for him, since he's " homeless " . . . but it's clearly by

> choice. Sigh. . .

>

> Jan Patenaude, RD, CLT

> Director of Medical Nutrition

> Signet Diagnostic Corp.

> Telecommuting Nationwide

> (Mountain Time)

> Fax:

> DineRight4@...

>

> Certified LEAP Therapist and specialist in food sensitivity for IBS,

> migraine, fibromyalgia and multiple inflammatory conditions. Co-author of

> the

> Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT) Training Course.

>

> In a message dated 6/30/2011 3:53:37 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,

> rd-usa writes:

>

> _Fast Food Chains Lobby for the Use of Food Stamps in Restaurants _

> (

>

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rd-usa/message/26461;_ylc=X3oDMTJzaHI2cThmBF9TAzk3\

Mz

>

> U5NzE1BGdycElkAzEwMDM1NTQ3BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2MTIwOQRtc2dJZAMyNjQ2MQRzZWMDZG

> 1zZwRzbGsDdm1zZwRzdGltZQMxMzA5NDI3NTI1)

> Posted by: " Ortiz " _nrord1@... _

> (mailto:nrord1@...?Subject=

>

Re:%20Fast%20Food%20Chains%20Lobby%20for%20the%20Use%20of%20Food%20Stamps%20in%2\

0Restaurants)

> _nrord _ (http://profiles.yahoo.com/nrord)

> Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:21 pm (PDT)

>

> Yum! Brands, the parent company of several national fast food chains,

> including KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, is lobbying the Kentucky state

> government to allow the use of food stamps in its restaurants. If the

> change

> in the law passes, Kentucky will join a very short list of only three other

> states Michigan, Arizona and California that permit food stamps to be

> used this way.

>

> As reported by the local newspaper, the* Courier Journal*, Louisville-based

> Yum! intends to accept so-called EBT cards for payment, which proponents

> say

> will provide a much needed service for food stamps recipients who otherwise

> have difficulties to find a ready-cooked meal.

>

> Supporters of the petition, including advocacy groups for the homeless,

> argue that any restaurant business willing to accept food stamps should be

> allowed to participate in the program. , a spokesperson for

> the *Coalition for the Homeless*, is strongly in favor of the idea. For

> those [] who dont live near a large grocery store and cant afford a

>

> restaurant, sometimes their only option is the nearest gas station. [] This

> would allow people to get a reduced price meal at a small deli or a

> restaurant, and that does include fast-food restaurants.

>

> Of course, this is not only a concern for homeless people. Elderly and

> disabled people, who are unable to cook at home for whatever reasons, cant

>

> get a prepared meal if they depend on government help to pay for it.

>

> Currently, Kentucky provides support to the needy mainly through its *Food

> Assistance Program*, which does not (yet) cover fast food items. Opponents

> of the proposed law change want to keep it that way. They argue that the

> government should not help push more sales of junk food on poor people at

> the expense of their health. In the long run, it would adversely affect the

> well-being of entire communities and drive up health care costs for the

> state.

>

> In 2010, Kentucky was ranked number seven in the U.S. in terms of obesity

> rates, with over 30 percent of obese adults. Childhood obesity and Type 2

> diabetes are also on the rise here. Critics say these numbers will only go

> up if low-income families are enticed to spend their food stamps at

> hamburger joints.

>

> Louisville, where Yum! is headquartered, has been in the news lately for

> other reasons as well. Ironically, one might say, the town wants to be

> known

> for its fight against obesity. In 2003, city hall received a grant from the

> * Wood Foundation* to help with the construction of bicycle

> lanes and to develop a number of small pocket parks as part of its

> affordable housing projects. To motivate people to drive less and move

> their

> bodies more instead, wider and safer sidewalks are being built.

>

> These may be humble beginnings, but they point in the right direction.

> Still, if these few well-meaning efforts remain sporadic and isolated, they

> will not make much of a dent. Access to decent food sources and

> opportunities to maintain a health-promoting lifestyle should not be so

> hard

> to come by, even in less than affluent communities.

>

> If government can afford to subsidize big industries and lets face it,

>

> allowing fast food places to accept food stamps is ultimately a subsidy

> program for the corporations who own them it can also show some support

> for small produce farms. Our taxes would be well spent by keeping healthy

> nutrition affordable for everyone and by investing in our local agriculture

> at the same time. Food stamps should be made welcome at all farmers markets

> and urban farms. We also need more grocery outlets in the so-called food

> deserts, the underserved communities in many inner cities.

>

> These are not revolutionary ideas and they are not hard to implement. What

> is missing, mostly, is enough political will.

>

> LINK<_http://blog.http://blohttp://blog.<

> WBRhttp://blhttp://bloghttp://blog.

> http://blohttp://bloghttp://blog.http://blog.<WB_

> (

>

http://blog.seattlepi.com/timigustafsonrd/2011/06/19/fast-food-chains-lobby-for-\

the-use-of-food-stamp

> s-in-restaurants/) >

>

> --

> Ortiz, MS, RD

> *The FRUGAL Dietitian* <_http://www.thefrugahttp://www.htt_

> (http://www.thefrugaldietitian.com/) >

>

> Check out my blog: mixture of deals and nutrition

> Join me on Facebook <_http://www.facebookhttp://www.facebhttp://www.fht_

> (http://www.facebook.com/TheFrugalDietitian?ref=ts) >

>

> Dietitian vs

> Nutritionist<_

>

http://www.xtranormhttp://www.xthttp://wwhttp://wwwhttp://www.xthttp://www.xhttp\

://wwhttp://_

> (

>

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/11216383/dietitian-interviewing-a-potential-diet\

etic-student)

> >

>

>

> Polo Shirt with your logo: $2.95

> shipped<_http://thefrugaldiehttp://thefhttp://t_

> (http://thefrugaldietitian.com/?p=20750) >

> * " Nutrition is a Science, Not an Opinion Survey " *

>

>