THE FOOD STAMP PLAN A food stamp program began on a pilot basis in eight areas throughout the country in late May and June 1961. These are: Franklin County, Illinois; Floyd County, Kentucky; Detroit, Michigan; The Virginia-Hibbing-Nashwauk complex in Northern Minnesota; Silver Bow County, Montana; San Miguel County, New Mexico; Fayette County, Pennsylvania; McDowell County, West Virginia. This program will enable the U. S. Department of Agriculture to test the effectiveness of a Food Stamp Plan in improving diets and expanding agricultural markets. Basic features of the program are: Families will be certified as eligible for the program by the State and local agencies which now administer federally aided public assistance programs under the Social Security Act. Families will be required to purchase food stamps from these agencies in amounts about equal to their current expenditure for food. Additional stamps will be given them, at no cost, to enable them to buy a more nutritious diet. The total value of stamps issued to a family will depend on several factors, such as family size, regional differences in consumption patterns, and prices. For example, a family of a certain size may need to spend $75 a month for an adequate diet, but has been able to spend only $50. Under the program, the family would exchange its $50 for $75 worth of stamps. Families having no income will receive free stamps. The stamps will be good for purchasing foods in cooperating neighborhood stores. Most foods will be included in the program. Items to be excluded are tobacco, alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, cocoa as such, fresh bananas, and all imported foods where the package clearly indicates the food is imported. ESTIMATED COST OF 1 WEEK'S FOOD The table on the opposite page presents the estimated cost of 1 week's food to be prepared and served at home. The estimate is based on quantities of food in the low cost, moderate cost, and liberal plans. The plans are available as a leaflet--Low-Cost, Moderate Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, HHE(Adm.)-146. The cost of food for a specific family can be estimated from the table, since costs are given for individuals of different ages. Estimated Cost of 1 Week's Food, 1/ April 1961--U.S.A. Average These estimates were computed from quantities in low-cost, moderatecost, and liberal food plans published in tables 2, 3, and 4 of the October 1957 issue of Family Economics Review. Quantities for children were revised January 1959 to comply with the 1958 NRC Recommended Dietary Allowances. cost of the food plans was first estimated by using the average prices per pound of each food group paid by nonfarm survey families at 3 selected income levels. These prices were adjusted to current levels by use of Average Retail Prices of Food in 46 Large Cities Combined released periodically by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2/ Ten percent added for family size adjustment. For derivation of factor for adjustment, see pages 3 and 4 of the September 1960 issue of Family Economics Review. 3/ Man and woman 20-34 years; children, 1-3 and 4-6 years. Man and woman 20-34 years; children, 7-9 and 10-12 years. CONSUMER PRICES Table 1.--Index of Prices Paid by Farmers for Commodities Used in Family Living (1947-49 = 100) Source: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. Table 2.--Consumer Price Index for City Wage-Earner and Clerical-Worker Families (1947-49 = 100) Source: U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 477.708: 961 ECONOMICS Institute of Home Economics, Agricultural Research Service, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Prepared for home demonstration agents and home economics specialists of the Agricultural Extension Service, this publication reports current developments in family and food economics, and economic aspects of home management. |