Keep food banks stocked

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania works hard to support families, seniors, veterans and children facing hunger every day. Going to any grocery store, it’s clear that food prices continue to stay out of reach for our neighbors in need. This is leading to rising demand for support from Second Harvest and our partner food pantries, soup kitchens and schools.

We need strong federal programs like The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) to support this vital need. TEFAP provides over 20% of the food moving through the Feeding America network of food banks and faith-based pantries, connecting surplus American-grown food to families experiencing hunger while also supporting farmers and rural economies.

The program is a critical lifeline for working families. TEFAP helps food banks ensure these families can access the nutritious food they need. Without it, Second Harvest faces longer lines, fewer resources, and puts greater strain on our communities.

TEFAP is a win-win: It helps American farmers and puts nutritious food on the tables of hardworking families experiencing tough times. We hope to work with Sen. David McCormick and Sen. John Fetterman to ensure that no bills under consideration include reductions to food assistance programs that might jeopardize negotiations for a strong, bipartisan Farm Bill. The longer a Farm Bill is delayed, the longer food banks, American agriculture, rural communities and working families must wait for critical investment in TEFAP.

Gregory D. Hall, CEO Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania

Tariff déjà vu

Tariffs played a significant role in worsening the Great Depression, though they were not the sole cause. One of the most infamous tariff policies of that era was the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which raised tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods to record levels.

Here’s how tariffs contributed to the economic downturn:

• Retaliatory Tariffs and Reduced Trade: Other countries responded by imposing their own tariffs on U.S. goods, leading to a decline in international trade causing American farmers and manufacturers to lose crucial export markets, deepening the economic contraction.

• Increased Costs for Consumers and Businesses: Higher tariffs meant higher prices for imported goods, reducing consumer purchasing power. Many businesses that relied on imported materials faced increased production costs. Farmers were hit hard as foreign nations retaliated with tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports Declining trade led to reduced revenues for businesses causing layoffs and debt defaults. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff exacerbated the economic downturn by worsening international relations and trade flows.

While tariffs were not the sole cause of the Great Depression — factors like stock market speculation and monetary policy also played major roles — they certainly worsened the economic collapse by stifling trade and deepening financial distress. Many historians and economists view Smoot-Hawley as a policy mistake that amplified the severity and duration of the Great Depression.

Peter Colomaio, Bradford