Iowa Opts Out of Federal Summer Food Program for Low-Income Children

Governor Kim Reynolds cites sustainability concerns and calls for investment in existing state-level programs.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has announced that the state will not participate in the 2024 Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (EBT) program, a federal initiative that provides $40 per month to each child in a low-income family to help with food costs while school is out.
Reynolds argues that the federal program, which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic, is not sustainable and does not provide long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families.
The governor suggests that the Biden Administration and Congress should invest in already existing programs and infrastructure at the state level and give states the flexibility to tailor them to their needs.
Participating in the federal program would require states to cover half of the administrative costs, which would amount to an estimated $2.2 million in Iowa.
The decision has been met with opposition from some state lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Izaah Knox of Des Moines, who called it 'extremely disappointing' and 'cruel and short-sighted.'