On April 29, I had the opportunity to attend the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry’s field hearing in East Lansing on the 2023 reauthorization of the Farm Bill. The committee is chaired by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and the hearing included input on our next Farm Bill from a diverse range of agricultural producers, food access advocates and stakeholders.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the biggest pieces of the Farm Bill, making it vital legislation to address critical food needs for Michigan residents and kids. At the Michigan League for Public Policy, and on behalf of the people we fight for, we are so grateful for Sen. Stabenow’s continued leadership on the Farm Bill and her consistent support of its food assistance provisions. This includes the Senator’s advocacy around improvements to the Thrifty Food Plan that increased food benefits by around $37 per person.
SNAP promotes health and prevents hunger for 1.2 million Michiganders. This includes 1 in 5 children, 41,000 veterans and 10% of the overall workforce in our state. SNAP is an important nutritional support in both rural and urban communities, and SNAP’s benefits resonate in Northern Michigan in particular. Alcona County has one of the five highest county rates of SNAP use by families with children in the state at 29.4%, and nearby Ogemaw and Roscommon counties have the top two rates across Michigan, both exceeding 34%.
With SNAP’s impact on our state, it’s never too early to start thinking about the Farm Bill’s next reauthorization and what additional improvements can be made, and we appreciate having that conversation start right here in Michigan. As part of the hearing, the League also submitted written testimony outlining our policy priorities for the next Farm Bill to further improve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) ability to respond effectively to food insecurity.
We are urging Congress to support eliminating SNAP’s three-month time limit for able-bodied adults without dependents. Studies have repeatedly shown that the time limit does not increase employment or earnings, but simply cuts off people from the benefits they need. In the absence of the ability to remove this limit entirely, please support the availability of hardship waivers from the limit for counties and metropolitan areas with high unemployment.
The League vigorously opposes any attempt in Congress to turn back the reforms of the Thrifty Food Plan, to mandate child support cooperation requirements or asset tests, or to impose any other harmful policy that would prevent otherwise eligible households from receiving benefits. We also want the next Farm Bill to ensure program operations and oversight keep pace with technology. The pandemic forced SNAP to adapt quickly to new circumstances. State application and certification systems must remain accessible and efficient by the smart use of technology.
Finally, we would like to see the federal government redesign SNAP performance measures to be more human-centered. SNAP’s current performance measurement system emphasizes preventing improper payments. States and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have a rigorous measurement system in place for this critical work. Currently information is not available to policymakers or the public about how well SNAP is working in terms of the human experience of accessing benefits, such as equitable access and effective delivery.
As state budget negotiations continue, the League also would like to see our state policymakers make SNAP work better for families by investing in recruiting more retailers to accept online SNAP purchases and covering shoppers’ fees for home grocery delivery and curbside pickup. These measures would promote more equitable access to the healthy food we all need to thrive.
SNAP plays an important role in reducing hunger in Michigan. We appreciate Sen. Stabenow’s commitment to SNAP in the Farm Bill, and we hope policymakers at the state and federal level will join her in continuing to improve the program and make food access a bipartisan priority.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
