Little Rock, AR – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Trump administration has abruptly ended its 30-year-old annual Household Food Security Report, a key tool for tracking food insecurity across the nation. The decision, announced on September 20, 2025, comes just months after historic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), raising alarms among anti-hunger advocates who fear it will obscure the growing impact of food shortages, particularly in states like Arkansas where rural communities are already struggling.
The USDA described the reports as “redundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous,” claiming they “do nothing more than fearmonger.” The agency noted that trends in food insecurity have remained largely unchanged despite an 87% increase in SNAP spending from 2019 to 2023, and it will rely on alternative, “more timely and accurate” data sources instead. A final report covering 2024 data is slated for release in October, but the 2025 survey has been canceled entirely.
Critics, including local organizations in Arkansas, argue the move blinds policymakers to the true scope of hunger at a critical time. “You cannot address hunger if you don’t know what the need is,” said Claire Tiffin, director of community engagement for the Arkansas Food Bank. “The biggest risk factor with this data going away is families might become invisible, especially if there are not pantries in those locations.” Tiffin emphasized the report’s value in highlighting rural food insecurity, where data collection is already challenging without strong local networks.
The Little Rock Compassion Center, which serves the homeless, has seen demand spike in recent months, now providing nearly 800 meals daily—up from 600. CEO Pastor William Holloway expressed concern that the report’s end, combined with federal safety net cuts, will exacerbate the strain. “I think we’re going to see a lot more people in need,” Holloway said. “It’s going to hurt a lot of poor people.”
Nationally, the latest report showed 13.5% of U.S. households—about 47.4 million people—experienced food insecurity in 2023, up from 12.8% in 2022. Hunger has risen since 2021, fueled by inflation, the end of COVID-era aid expansions, and now SNAP restrictions. The Trump administration’s efforts to curb “waste, fraud, and abuse” include tighter SNAP eligibility, affecting millions. Advocates warn that without the report, assessing these policies’ effects becomes impossible.
In a related development, a team of USDA economists and researchers responsible for the report has been placed on indefinite paid leave, amid an investigation into an “unauthorized disclosure.” Staff were required to surrender government laptops, further fueling speculation about the administration’s motives.
Groups like Feeding America and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities have condemned the cancellation, arguing it undermines efforts to combat hunger and evaluate programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). “Without that data, we are flying blind,” said a representative from Feeding America.
In Arkansas, where food banks rely on the report to allocate resources, the Arkansas Food Bank plans to seek alternative data sources but notes it has enough from prior years to sustain operations for the next three. Still, rural areas—where pantries are scarce—may suffer most from reduced visibility.
Social media reactions reflect widespread dismay, with users labeling the move a “signal that tracking and battling hunger is no longer a priority.” One post called it “insane,” tying it to broader cuts, while another decried it as masking the administration’s “failed policies.”
As food insecurity climbs amid economic pressures, the absence of this benchmark report could hinder targeted aid, leaving vulnerable families—particularly in states like Arkansas—further in the shadows.
For more on local impacts, contact the Arkansas Food Bank or Little Rock Compassion Center.
