Monique Stanton

With countless Michigan families gathering together to enjoy Thanksgiving last week, the topic of food insecurity continued to be top of mind for us here at the Michigan League for Public Policy.

Given forthcoming federal funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to restrict or completely strip away access to vital food assistance for SNAP participants, it’s been hard not to be discouraged, frustrated and deeply concerned for individuals, families and kids in our Great Lakes State. Here at the League, we have channeled that concern into a determined and unwavering focus on advocacy efforts that get at the heart of just what threats to things like SNAP will mean for the people of Michigan. We continued those efforts a few weeks back by partnering with Attorney General Dana Nessel to host a critically important roundtable discussion that included nine incredible partners from across the state.

We came together on behalf of the 1.4 million Michiganders who rely on SNAP — 1 in 7 of our friends, family and neighbors. That includes 39,000 veterans, 225,000 seniors and nearly half a million children. We came together because although the recent vote on a federal spending bill keeps SNAP funded through next year, harmful policy threats still exist.

The so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” slashes SNAP by 20% over the next 10 years — the largest cut in the program’s history. New time limits and work requirements will strip food access from countless Michiganders and overwhelm state employees with additional paperwork and red tape. The Trump administration has also reduced critical support for local food banks and cut programs that sustain small farmers and stabilize our food supply chain.

On top of that, we’re deeply concerned about the most recent threat that SNAP recipients could be forced to reapply for benefits.

The roundtable discussion opened up with the partners in attendance, who expressed how SNAP cuts and food insecurity will impact the state’s agricultural sector, retailers, people experiencing homelessness, people who were previously incarcerated, immigrants, families and children, people with disabilities, and communities. They each made powerful, heartfelt statements that painted a stark picture of the unfathomable human cost of federal cuts as well as the business and economic repercussions for Michigan.

After hearing from each of the partners, Attorney General Nessel closed out the discussion by providing an update on the lawsuits she has been a part of regarding SNAP and her own concerns about how extra red tape for SNAP participants, including the reapplication process that was recently proposed, will deter otherwise eligible people from participating in the program. She also talked more broadly about why it’s important to continue to take action to address what is being done at the federal level when it comes to SNAP funding, making the important points that Michigan taxpayers have paid for this program and that people having access to food should not be a partisan issue.

When it comes to food insecurity, we are talking about more than numbers. We are talking about real people who are facing hunger. This includes the youngest of Michigan residents, who need nutritious meals in order to grow up healthy and strong. Just in the counties of Alpena,

Alcona, Presque Isle and Montmorency alone, 20.1%, 22.5%, 19.4% and 26.6% of children are facing food insecurity. All four of these counties come in higher for childhood food insecurity than the statewide percentage of 17.9%, pointing to just how important this issue is in Northeast Michigan.

We want to thank Attorney General Nessel and the other roundtable partners for helping us lift up the importance of food access in Michigan this past November. As we close out 2025 and prepare for what’s ahead in 2026, it’s important that we continue to fight for the Michiganders who not only need but deserve economic justice and security in these difficult times.