Governor urges Agriculture Department and Kentucky’s congressional delegation to take action to fight hunger
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 14, 2026) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear sent a letter to Brooke Rollins, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for the Trump administration, and a letter to Kentucky’s congressional delegation raising concerns that federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have resulted in more than 80,000 Kentuckians losing access. The Governor highlighted that the number includes 24,655 children and 6,572 seniors who are hungrier today because of President Trump’s actions to cut SNAP benefits.
“We should be fighting hunger, not causing it; yet the President’s cruel and unnecessary changes to SNAP are causing more than 80,000 Kentuckians – and millions of Americans across our country – to face hunger,” said Gov. Beshear. “I am calling on both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and members of Kentucky’s congressional delegation to take action to ensure our most vulnerable citizens, including children and seniors, do not go hungry for reasons beyond their control.”
The letters were directed to the state’s congressional members and the secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the federal agency that administers SNAP.
The Governor noted that the alarming loss of SNAP coverage is a result of the President’s “Big, Ugly Bill,” which significantly reduced benefits, expanded work requirements and shifted costs to states. It is estimated that around 5 million Americans, including more than 1 million children, have lost SNAP benefits since July 2025.
Gov. Beshear also pointed out that, for children, SNAP eligibility is tied to other meal programs, including free and reduced lunches and summer electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, noting that children will face hunger in multiple areas – not just at home.
“School meals and summer programs are what so many children depend on for food,” said Gov. Beshear. “Because of the President’s actions, now even those dependable sources of food will be taken from our most vulnerable kids. It’s wrong, and action needs to be taken.”
The letters were sent after Gov. Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Frankfort earlier in the week to help unload a 34,000-pound food donation that will be distributed through Feeding Kentucky, a nonprofit that serves all 120 counties across the commonwealth.
The 34,000-pound donation included shelf-stable foods, such as canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, flour, pancake mix and dried milk. Most items are produced by the Church and funded through voluntary donations from its members.
Fighting Hunger in Kentucky
The Beshear administration has made fighting hunger a priority and recognizes the critical role food services and support play in helping Kentuckians. During the pandemic, the Beshear administration doubled the number of meals produced each week for the senior meals program, eliminating an existing waitlist and ensuring no seniors went hungry. Since then, Gov. Beshear has directed more state funding toward the program than any other administration in the commonwealth’s history.
Team Kentucky has also launched multiple programs to help provide food to students over summer break, as well as directing funding to food banks across the state and supporting the opening of new kitchens.
The Governor also fought back against cuts and threats to SNAP, suing the Trump administration when it tried to suspend the program during a federal government shutdown last year. When the court ruled in Kentucky’s favor, the Beshear administration worked through the night to process benefits as quickly as possible. The commonwealth was one of the first states to process full benefits for recipients.
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