Remove restrictive eligibility criteria and asset limits, ensuring low-income families—including those experiencing temporary job underemployment—retain consistent access to nutritional assistance.
Automatically enroll families in SNAP when they qualify for other federal assistance programs (e.g., Medicaid, WIC) to streamline the process and reduce administrative burdens.
Tie SNAP benefit amounts to real-world food costs, regularly adjusted for inflation and local price variations.
Anti-Waste & Food Redistribution Policy
The Labor Party supports strict anti-waste measures to combat food insecurity, reduce environmental impact, and ensure surplus goods are redirected to those in need rather than discarded. Grocery stores, supermarkets, and large food retailers must prioritize donation over disposal, ensuring that a minimum of 70% of all non-expired surplus food is donated to local organizations such as food banks, shelters, and community kitchens.
Mandatory Food Donation Requirement - Retailers must donate at least 70% of their non-expired, unsellable food each quarter to registered local organizations.
Waste-to-Donation Ratio Enforcement - Businesses must not exceed a 30% waste-to-70% donation ratio every quarter.
Penalties for Excessive Waste:
Retailers failing to meet the required ratio will be fined an amount equal to 50% of the MSRP value of wasted goods.
Repeated noncompliance may result in higher fines, loss of tax incentives, and potential operational restrictions.
Tax Incentives for Compliance - Businesses exceeding the minimum donation requirement may be eligible for additional tax deductions and federal grants.
Supply Chain Coordination - Mandate coordination between food retailers, distributors, and food recovery organizations to streamline logistics and expand donation infrastructure.
Public Transparency & Reporting - To ensure accountability, businesses must report quarterly donation and waste figures to a federal oversight body.
Year-Round Child Nutrition Initiatives
Coordinate with community organizations, libraries, and recreation centers as year-round meal distribution points, especially in rural or underserved areas.
Provide grants to community-based nonprofits to operate meal sites during weekends, holidays, and unexpected school closures.
Holistic Support & Education
Integrate nutrition education into curricula, teaching children and families about healthy eating, cooking skills, and how to maximize SNAP benefits.
Partner with local farms and agricultural cooperatives to supply fresh produce for school meals, stimulating local economies while improving meal quality.
Accountability & Funding
Ensure consistent federal and state funding to prevent program shortfalls, with robust oversight to maintain high nutritional standards.
Encourage bulk purchasing, direct-from-farm procurement, and expanded USDA commodity programs to keep costs low while guaranteeing nutritious, high-quality foods.
Strengthen School Meal Programs
Free School Breakfast & Lunch for All - Provide universal free breakfast and lunch in public schools to eliminate stigmas and ensure every child receives nutritious daily meals. This includes eliminating and forgiving all “lunch debt.”
Summer Nutrition Programs - Fund and expand summer meal sites, ensuring children who rely on school meals during the academic year continue to have access to healthy, free meals throughout school breaks
Seamless Enrollment - Automatically enroll eligible children in free meal programs without requiring additional paperwork from families, reducing barriers and ensuring full participation.
Anti-Price Gouging & Consumer Protection Measures
The Labor Party supports strict anti-price gouging regulations to prevent excessive price increases on essential goods and services. These measures will ensure fair market practices by capping unjustified price hikes and holding corporations accountable for exploitative pricing.
Annual Price Increase Cap - Prohibit distributors and retailers from raising prices on essential goods and services by more than 5% within 12 months, except in documented cost increases (e.g., raw materials, production, transportation).
Emergency Price Controls - Enforce stricter temporary price caps during natural disasters, economic downturns, or public health emergencies to prevent profiteering.
Transparency & Justification Requirements - Businesses must publicly disclose any cost-based justification for price increases above the permitted threshold.
Strict Penalties for Violations - Impose significant fines, restitution requirements, and potential business sanctions on companies engaging in predatory pricing.
