There’s $5 billion sitting in a SNAP contingency fund. It’s money that could keep families fed during a shutdown. USDA isn’t using those funds. And French Hill and his pals are doing nothing. We’re paying taxes. They’re playing politics. The result, kids go hungry while cash sits in a bank.

As a small, rural farmer, I know firsthand how tough it is to keep a farm going in Arkansas. We’re already up against corporate agriculture, rising costs, and government policies that favor the big players over folks just trying to make an honest living. This helped some farms stay open.