For Immediate Release
December 4, 2008
Contact: Kristin Crawford
(717) 787-4420
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Brubaker Announces Formation of Hunger Caucus

HARRISBURG -- State Senator Mike Brubaker (R-36) announced the formation of a legislative caucus to combat hunger and food insecurity today in Philadelphia at a meeting of the Pennsylvania Society for the Promotion of Agriculture.

The most recent USDA study on hunger found that 10 percent of Pennsylvania families are at risk for hunger, or more than 492,000 households across the state. Brubaker said that the Hunger Caucus would educate legislators on food insecurity issues and work to improve access to nutrition programs.

"Hunger is a growing problem that affects families in every corner of the state, and rising prices at the grocery store have the potential to make this crisis even worse," Brubaker said. "The Hunger Caucus will help to bring greater awareness to this problem and allow us to concentrate our efforts on finding solutions to help families at risk."

Brubaker said that the Caucus would work to lower barriers to anti-hunger programs and develop cooperative programs between government and the private sector to address hunger issues.

Brubaker, who chairs the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, also noted that agriculture could potentially play a vital role in combating hunger in Pennsylvania.

"Our farmers produce plenty of food to meet the nutritional needs of all Pennsylvanians," Brubaker said. "The Hunger Caucus will allow us to focus on new and better strategies to make sure that the food produced in our fields can benefit families at risk of food insecurity."

Brubaker will co-chair the Hunger Caucus with Representative John Myers (D-201) of Philadelphia.