The Harvest Box in the recently proposed budget by President Trump is not a currently feasible program, but it is an interesting idea. I know that it is definitely not starting up anytime soon, if at all, and has received enormous amounts of flack from both parties, and I think this is well-deserved. But, at the same time, there is something about this that has a fighting chance.
Many are arguing that taking away some of the money from those receiving SNAP benefits means they are less able to buy things such as fresh fruits and vegetables, but with how expensive fresh foods are, and how much easier it is to get something pre-made and prepackaged, I doubt that people receiving these benefits are spending the majority of their benefits on fruits and vegetables. To take some — not all, but some — of the benefits and use it to send actual fresh food to the recipients could be highly beneficial. If we can send fresh, American-grown fruits and vegetables directly to these families, this could save billions of dollars buying the food potentially with bulk savings, and promote more nutritious diets.
