Food Assurance and Security Act

This bill establishes an interagency food security measurement program, led by the Secretary of Agriculture in coordination with the Director of the Bureau of the Census . The program's primary goal is to coordinate the annual collection, analysis, and reporting of comprehensive data on food insecurity and hunger across the United States. This initiative aims to provide a consistent and detailed understanding of food access challenges faced by households. A central component of this program is the mandatory inclusion of a food security supplement within the Current Population Survey conducted by the Bureau of the Census. This supplement will initially use questions consistent with the 2023 version, covering various aspects of food insecurity for both adults and children. These questions delve into experiences such as worrying about food running out, cutting meal sizes, experiencing hunger, or not eating for a whole day due to lack of money for food. The Secretary of Agriculture is also required to submit an annual report to Congress, making the collected data and findings from the food security supplement publicly available on the Department of Agriculture's website. This ensures transparency and accessibility of critical information regarding food security. The bill authorizes the appropriation of necessary funds to carry out these provisions effectively.