Revamping food stamp program wasteful
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Editor,
This editorial is in response to Janna Taylor’s Legislative Notes printed in the Valley Journal on Jan. 18, 2012. She would, according to her article, like to revamp the food stamp program in Montana.
She would like to eliminate items “high in fructose corn syrup, cholesterol, sodium, and fat” for people in this state who already have a difficult time dealing with the ever-rising prices in the grocery stores.
I would appreciate a response from my legislator, Janna Taylor, who is currently representing the people of Montana. My questions about her idea are as follow:
Who would select the items available for purchase? Would store clerks turn paying customers away, or send them back to the shelves after selecting an unhealthy item? Would you label every item in every store in Montana food stamp worthy? How much do you think this would cost the state of Montana, Janna?
How would locally based distributors, such as Coke, feel about your idea?
Will low-income children still be able to enjoy mayonnaise with their high sodium tuna fish? Will hot chocolate and marshmallows still be purchasable? Will children still be allowed to cook s’mores over campfires? Will kids in this state still have syrup on their pancakes? Ketchup in some cases lists fructose corn syrup as its second ingredient. Most canned soups have 20% to 40% of our recommended daily allowance of sodium.
I am thankful Montana school systems have recently included fruits and vegetables in their lunch programs. I look forward to the day when our school system shops locally for these school lunches.
I hope the people who represent Montana after we vote this time, will take the time to ask themselves questions like these, before wasting more of our time and money on legislation that is not well thought out and cannot be effectively implemented.
Tonya Marshall
Polson
