As the Missouri legislative session ends, attention is turning back to Washington D.C., where decisions made this year could dramatically reshape how Missouri fights hunger and poverty. One of the biggest federal debates underway is the next Farm Bill. The Farm Bill, which is traditionally renewed every five years, is often described as the nation’s...Lee mas

The 2026 Missouri Legislative Session ended with drama – this time in a good way. Three key policies entered the final week as almost-passed…but not quite. Clean Slate, land banks improvements, and Food is Medicine legislation were all passed by at least one chamber by the end of April but had not yet fully cleared...Lee mas

April 29, 2026To: Senator Trent and Members of the Senate General Laws CommitteeFrom: Christine Woody, Food Security Policy Manager at Empower MissouriRe:   HB 2481 Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Christine Woody and I am with Empower Missouri. Empower Missouri is the state’s largest anti-poverty advocacy organization. I am...Lee mas

April 15th, 2026 To: Senator Carter, and Members, Families, Seniors, and Health Committee From: Amanda Berry, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Support for HB 2372 Food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food for a healthy, active life. In Missouri, that is not a small issue. The...Lee mas

April 15th, 2026 To: Senator Carter, and Members, Families, Seniors, and Health Committee From: Amanda Berry, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Support for HB 2355 We often think of healthcare and the economy as separate issues, but they are deeply connected. Diet-related conditions are one of the largest drivers of healthcare spending and...Lee mas

April 8th, 2026 To: Senator Carter, and Members, Families, Seniors, and Health Committee From: Amanda Berry, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Support for SB 1499 Empower Missouri is the state’s largest anti-poverty advocacy organization, working across rural and urban communities to advance policies that promote economic stability, affordability, and opportunity for Missouri families....Lee mas

March 25, 2026To: Senator Trent and Members of the Senate General Laws CommitteeFrom: Christine Woody, Food Security Policy Manager at Empower MissouriRe:   SB 1616 Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Christine Woody and I am with Empower Missouri. Empower Missouri is the state’s largest anti-poverty advocacy organization. I am...Lee mas

March 23, 2026 To:  Chairman McGirl and The House Ways and Means Committee From: Christine Woody, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: House Bill 2457 My name is Christine Woody and I am the Food Security Policy manager for Empower Missouri. We are a statewide non-profit organization that leads a statewide coalition on food...Lee mas