New Food Security Act Mandates Annual Data Collection Using Detailed Household Surveys Starting 2026

The newly introduced Food Assurance and Security Act (FASA) is all about getting a clear, consistent picture of who is struggling to put food on the table in America. The core of this bill is a mandate for an interagency program, run by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Census Bureau, to coordinate and standardize the annual measurement of food insecurity and hunger.

FASA kicks off this effort by requiring the Census Bureau to include a detailed food security supplement in its annual Current Population Survey, starting in 2026. This isn't just a quick check-in; the law specifies a precise list of questions that must be used through 2028. After that, the questions must remain “substantially similar.” The USDA must then take the data collected and publish an annual report on food security, making the findings public and sending them to Congress. Essentially, this creates a dedicated, funded pipeline for consistent, high-quality data on hunger.

The New Standard: Getting Specific About Hunger

For most people, the biggest impact of FASA is the level of detail it demands. The law requires surveyors to ask specific, tough questions that go beyond just asking if someone is hungry. They want to know the real-world trade-offs families are making. For example, the survey will ask households whether statements like, "We worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more," were often, sometimes, or never true. They also ask whether adults cut meal sizes, skipped meals, or even went a whole day without eating because of money problems.

This level of detail is crucial for policy. If you’re a policy maker trying to fix a problem, you need to know how people are experiencing it. Knowing that a family skipped meals (a severe indicator) versus merely worrying about running out of food (a less severe one) allows for much more targeted assistance. This bill aims to replace guesswork with granular facts, which benefits researchers, advocates, and ultimately, the families who need help.

Measuring the Impact on Kids

FASA pays special attention to households with children (aged 0-17). The survey supplement includes a separate set of questions focused entirely on the children’s experience. These questions cover whether the household relied on low-cost foods, couldn't afford balanced meals for the kids, or whether the children were actually hungry or skipped meals because of money issues. For parents juggling rising grocery bills and childcare costs, this data ensures that the unique challenges of feeding children in an insecure environment are accurately captured and reflected in national reports.

The Funding and Oversight Details

To ensure this program actually happens, the law appropriates the necessary funds for the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the program, including transferring a portion of that money to the Census Bureau to cover the costs of running the survey. This dedicated funding stream means the data collection won't be dependent on annual budget battles, lending stability to the measurement process.

However, there is one small catch in the fine print. While the specific, detailed questions are locked in until 2028, any changes after that must be approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The bill requires that future questions be “substantially similar,” but that term is open to interpretation. While the intent is to maintain consistency, relying on OMB clearance and the subjective definition of “substantially similar” means future administrations could potentially face pressure to tweak the metrics. For now, though, FASA establishes a necessary and robust system for tracking one of the most fundamental challenges facing working families today.