Now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has decided to officially stop tracking how many Americans are regularly going hungry, it might be harder for area food pantries and food banks to fulfill their goal of helping families in need.

“Food banks and pantries rely on the USDA data to understand the scope and location of need,” Alex Hurd, executive director of the Kendall County Community Food Pantry in Yorkville, said in response to the USDA’s decision. “It may be harder to adequately prepare for and respond to an increase in demand.”

The Kendall County Community Food Pantry serves not only Kendall County, but also DeKalb and La Salle counties. It serves an average of 450 families a week.

“It may become more difficult for advocacy groups and nonprofits to demonstrate the need for increased funding or support for food assistance programs,” Hurd said. “When data is missing, it’s harder to make a strong case for investment in battling hunger.”

The USDA recently announced the termination of future Household Food Security reports. The report has been published annually for 30 years.

Its latest report, which will contain 2024 data, will be its last when it is released in October.

“These redundant, costly, politicized and extraneous studies do nothing more than fear monger,” the USDA said in a statement.

The USDA’s decision comes after President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law July 4. The legislation makes almost $200 billion in cuts in the next 10 years to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The bill changes eligibility requirements, putting an estimated 360,000 Illinoisans at risk of losing SNAP benefits. Area food pantries expect an increase in demand when the SNAP cuts take effect.

SNAP is a federal program that provides monthly benefits to low-income individuals and families to help them purchase food. Gov. JB Pritzker’s office has said that almost 1 in 5 Illinois SNAP recipients are at risk of losing food benefits.

Cuts to SNAP won’t take full effect until after the 2026 midterm elections. Along with the change in eligibility requirements, Illinois and other states will have to cover a greater portion of costs for the SNAP program.

Able-bodied adults ages 55 to 64 without dependent children and parents of children 14 and older now must work at least 20 hours a week or participate in training programs. Before, this applied only to people up to age 54.

As part of the bill, for the first time in the program’s 60-year history, the federal government will require the majority of states to fund a portion of SNAP benefits, potentially costing Illinois more than $700 million, according to Pritzker’s office. Implementing and administering these changes is projected to cost Illinois an additional $100 million.

“It may become more challenging for policymakers and researchers to assess if SNAP cuts are actually increasing food insecurity,” Hurd said. “The link between federal aid and its effectiveness may become obscured.”

Julie Yurko, president and CEO of the Geneva-based Northern Illinois Food Bank, said the USDA’s food security reports have been a valuable resource. The Northern Illinois Food Bank works with more than 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other feeding programs to distribute food across 13 counties.

“USDA’s Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement has never been a perfect resource, but it has been a valuable one that helped us to track trends over time, highlight the experiences of households and children, and understand how programs and support can influence families’ stability and self-sufficiency,” Yurko said.

She said insights from the survey helped inform investments that strengthened solutions in the fight against hunger “right here in northern Illinois.”

Despite the news, Yurko said the Northern Illinois Food Bank plans to continue in its mission to help those who are food insecure.

“While we don’t yet know the full impact this news will have on Northern Illinois Food Bank or on SNAP recipients in Illinois, we’re committed to making sure our neighbors continue to have uninterrupted access to food,” she said.

Loaves & Fishes Community Services, which provides food assistance and nutrition, also remains committed its mission. The organization serves DuPage County as well as Will, Kane and Kendall counties.

“At Loaves & Fishes, we see every week how hunger impacts children, seniors, and working families in our community,” said Megan Lynch, executive vice president of advancement for Loaves & Fishes. “Reliable data is essential to connecting those lived experiences to broader patterns and ensuring that resources are directed to effective solutions that support our neighbors. As Feeding America has noted, the USDA’s Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement was never perfect, but it provided valuable insights to track trends and guide solutions. As the USDA sunsets this report, we remain steadfast in our commitment to work with partners to measure and understand food insecurity in our region—so together we can build stronger, healthier communities.”