From Farm to Fork: How SNAP Strengthens Rural America

When Katherine Lee Bates penned “for amber waves of grain” in America the Beautiful, she captured a bountiful image of rural America and the farms that feed the nation. Today, these song lyrics still ring true. Agriculture contributes more than $1.5 trillion to the U.S. economy and supports billions in exports each year. Yet 15.9 percent of Americans living in rural communities experienced food insecurity in 2024 and had difficulty putting food on the table. This is among an estimated 17.1 million Americans in low-income, low-access census tracts in urban and rural communities who struggle with grocery store access. This presents a unique paradox; many of the people who support our food system in rural areas are often left without adequate food access themselves.

Economic Activity from SNAP

In communities where grocery stores are  scarce and economic opportunities are limited, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is critical for families and local economies. Estimates in 2021 showed that approximately 13.5 percent of rural households participated in SNAP, and research suggests the program generates even greater economic activity in rural versus urban communities. Every $1 in SNAP benefits spent produces an estimated $1.54 to $1.80 in economic activity, as dollars circulate through local grocery stores, supply chains, and producers. Farmers also benefit directly, receiving nearly one-quarter of every dollar Americans spend on food consumed at home. Altogether, SNAP not only strengthens household food security, but also the rural businesses and agricultural economies that feed the nation.

SNAP’s Deep Roots in Agriculture

SNAP has been intertwined with American agriculture since the first Food Stamp Program was launched in 1939 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Designed to address farm surpluses and hunger during the Great Depression, the program connected struggling farmers with families unable to afford food. In 1964, Congress set out to permanently establish the program, explicitly recognizing the mutual benefit between supporting agricultural producers and nutrition. While today’s iteration of SNAP has evolved from the original program, its dual mission remains the same: reducing hunger while strengthening agricultural markets.

Where SNAP Meets Main Street in Rural America

SNAP’s impact extends beyond the numbers and can be seen in communities like Eureka, Kansas, the Greenwood County seat, and a town of 2,200 in the heart of the tallgrass prairie. Surrounded by beef cattle ranches and row crops, Eureka reflects the aforementioned paradox: the city helps produce America’s food, yet many residents struggle to afford enough of it. In 2024, 14.6 percent of residents in Greenwood County lived below the federal poverty line, and 15.2 percent experienced food insecurity. Additionally, the county is designated as a low-income, low-access (LILA) area by USDA, meaning many residents face both economic hardship and limited access to a full-service grocery store.

At the center of the community is G&W Foods, one of the few full-service grocery stores in a 30-mile radius and a critical access point for SNAP households. Managed by Lori Metzler, the store serves roughly 420 customers each day, many of them older adults living on fixed incomes.

In a phone interview, Metzler shared with me that roughly one-third of the store’s revenue comes from SNAP purchases. Metzler said many of the store’s older customers rely on the program. With national average grocery profit margins hovering around 2 percent, G&W’s rising labor, utility, transportation, and supply-chain costs leave little room for error. “My gosh, you would not even believe how much it costs to keep this place here,” she lamented.

SNAP Dollars Circulate Beyond the Register

G&W sources beef from local ranchers, processes it in-house, and purchases seasonal produce such as tomatoes and okra from nearby farmers. Beyond selling groceries, G&W is a community institution. The store partners with community food pantries and the local school district to distribute nearly 750 ready-to-prepare meal bags each year. G&W also collaborates with the Greenwood County Hospital, providing $25 vouchers for its patients that can be used for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Metzler worries about what would happen if the store disappeared.

“Well, it would be hard,” she said. “We have a lot of elderly people that can’t drive out now…can’t make it somewhere else.”

Local grocers, like G&W, are more than retailers. They are employers, markets for producers, food access points, and community spaces. Yet, they are disappearing. The latest available data from the USDA Economic Research Service showed that between 1990 and 2015, the number of independent and small-to-medium-sized grocery stores fell by nearly 40 percent nationwide. Specifically, between 2008 and 2018, Kansas lost 105 rural grocery stores. Without strong federal investments, farmers, grocers, and SNAP participants all stand to struggle even more. As Congress negotiates the next Farm Bill, which authorizes SNAP and other nutrition programs through its nutrition title, lawmakers must do all they can to strengthen American producers and end hunger. 

Andrew Le was a Zero Hunger Intern at Bread for the World’s Policy and Research Institute (PRI).