[CED/CD/EAT] FW: Listening Session with Dr. Walsh at Next Week's County Operations Meeting Regarding SNAP-Ed Funding

Fri May 23 17:04:40 MST 2025

All-
As a follow-up to our discussion about the state of SNAP-Ed funding, I wanted to share the email that went out to SNAP-ED faculty and staff today (see below). Shea and I will be meeting with them to talk through their concerns.  We won't have many answers, but feel it is important to be transparent with what we do know and to hear folks out. In case you have an opportunity to talk with any of your stakeholders, it is worth knowing that:

  *   Elimination of the SNAP-Ed program will mean eliminating 76 FTE and a proposed $37 million in funding in the next 5 years to UA Cooperative Extension and the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness.
  *   Based on a 2015 economic impact study of UA Extension SNAP-Ed spending in the state, including multiplier effects, this would mean an overall loss to the state of Arizona of 101 FTE jobs, $6.6 million in income, and $22.4 million in total sales annually (taking from 2012 to 2025 dollars). Kerna, A., Frisvold, G., Jacobs, L., Farrell, V. A., Houtkooper, L., & Misner, S. (2015). Application of IMPLAN to Extension Programs: Economic Impacts of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension SNAP-Ed Spending. The Journal of Extension, 53(6), Article 21. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.53.06.21
  *   A recent ROI by Illinois<http://chrome-extension:/efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https:/extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/2023-07/illinois_snap-ed_impacts_and_return_on_investment_infographic_fy20-fy22_final.pdf> Extension estimated a healthcare savings of $5.36 to $9.54 for every dollar spent on SNAP-Ed.
SNAP-Ed personnel are completing their annual reporting for 2024 this week. We will be working to put together additional talking points for Arizona that you can share with your stakeholders. Meanwhile, here are some big picture talking points from the APLU and some state-level examples from our Community Nutrition Education annual report.
I hope you all have a restful weekend,
Michele

[The University of Arizona block 'A' logo.]
Michele E Walsh, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Family, Consumer & Health Sciences
Cooperative Extension
Professor, Human Development & Family Science/Extension Evaluation Specialist
Norton School of Human Ecology
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Office: 520-621-8739
mwalsh at arizona.edu<mailto:mwalsh at arizona.edu>
Pronouns: she/her/hers
linkedin<https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-walsh-a766026/>

______________________________________________

Dear SNAP-Ed Team,

I want to share an update on the federal budget situation, especially in light of the recent House vote affecting SNAP-Ed. I know many of you are feeling uncertain, and I want to be transparent about what we know and how we're moving forward together:

  *   On May 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a version of the FY2026 federal budget that would eliminate all federal funding for SNAP-Ed. This is clearly concerning. However, this is just one step in a long legislative process. The bill now heads to the Senate, where priorities and timelines are often quite different.
  *   There are a few reasons to remain hopeful:
- The Senate is proposing a much smaller overall cut to agriculture programs (about $1 billion, compared to the House's $230 billion), and it has historically been more supportive of nutrition education efforts like SNAP-Ed.
- The House bill passed by a very narrow margin (215-214), reflecting how divided even House members are about this issue.
- Many states-especially rural and agricultural ones like ours-rely heavily on SNAP-Ed. This creates bipartisan pressure to preserve at least some form of the program.
  *   We're closely tracking developments in the Senate and working with our government relations team to make sure Arizona's SNAP-Ed success stories and impact are front and center. We're also collaborating with other Cooperative Extension programs across the country, along with ECOP and APLU and ASNNA and NFSN, to strengthen our collective voice.
  *   It will likely be months before a final budget is passed. During that time, there will be several opportunities for revisions and negotiation between the House and Senate. We are committed to educating about the importance of the program and its impacts at every stage.

Please plan to join us for the County Operations meeting on Thursday, May 29. We'll use this time to talk through your concerns, answer questions as best we can, and plan for how we can respond as a team. Your ideas and experience are critical as we think through next steps.

Thank you for continuing to show up every day for the communities we serve. I know this is a difficult moment, and I want you to know we are doing everything possible to protect the program and your important work.

If you have immediate concerns or questions before our meeting, please don't hesitate to reach out.

With appreciation,

Michele

[The University of Arizona block 'A' logo.]

Michele E Walsh, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Family, Consumer & Health Sciences

Cooperative Extension

Professor, Human Development & Family Science/Extension Evaluation Specialist

Norton School of Human Ecology
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Office: 520-621-8739
mwalsh at arizona.edu<mailto:mwalsh at arizona.edu>
Pronouns: she/her/hers
linkedin<https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-walsh-a766026/>

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