WASHINGTON (RFD-TV) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will discontinue its long-running Household Food Security Report beginning in 2025, bringing an end to nearly three decades of federal tracking on hunger in America.
In a press release published on Saturday evening, the USDA framed the change by calling the reports “redundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous” and doing “nothing more than fear monger.” The statement reflects a sharp break from the agency’s typically technical tone, underscoring how politically sensitive the issue of hunger measurement has become.
Launched in the mid-1990s, the survey has provided annual data on the prevalence of food insecurity across U.S. households.
The report’s cancellation comes at an interesting time — that is, when food insecurity is on the rise in the U.S., according to the most recent version of the Household Food Security Report (PDF version) for 2022-2023.
The 2024 edition of the report, covering 2023 data, is still expected to be released later this year. However, the USDA maintains that “a bevy of more timely and accurate data sets” will fill the gap.
———
The complete statement from the USDA reads:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the termination of future Household Food Security Reports. These redundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous studies do nothing more than fear monger.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Press Release, “USDA Terminates Redundant Food Insecurity Survey,” September 20, 2025
Soft equipment sales signal cautious farm spending as producers prioritize cash flow over expansion.
January 16, 2026 07:00 AM
·
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig discusses market conditions, policy priorities, and his outlook for agriculture moving forward.
January 15, 2026 01:36 PM
·
House Agriculture Committee Democrats are calling for action on the Farm and Family Relief Act, warning that proposed SNAP cost shifts to states could reduce food assistance for low-income families amid ongoing tariffs and trade disruptions that continue to strain U.S. farmers.
January 15, 2026 12:30 PM
·
Record ethanol production and improving blending demand continue to support corn usage despite rising short-term inventories.
January 15, 2026 11:47 AM
·
Tight beef cow supplies and steady demand point to continued record-level cull cow prices in 2026.
January 15, 2026 11:23 AM
·
A high-stakes legal case in a South Dakota federal court concerning misleading country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL), such as “Product of the USA,” on food products, will significantly impact U.S. agricultural policy for years to come.
January 14, 2026 09:00 AM
·
Agronomy experts explain why standing crop residue protects soil and reduces costs for crop growers, while shredding often yields little benefit at higher costs.
January 14, 2026 08:00 AM
·
USDA flash corn sales, Cattle on Feed and Inventory reports, and beef packer antitrust concerns dominate January agricultural market news.
January 13, 2026 01:53 PM
·
Larger grain stocks increase supply pressure, but strong fall disappearance — especially for corn and sorghum — suggests demand remains an important offset.
January 13, 2026 01:02 PM
·