The Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank’s Executive Director started to become aware of dwindling food supplies at the food bank about three months ago. She noticed the warehouse becoming increasingly bare. Empty space filled the area where groceries once stood.

The situation has been caused by increases in requests for emergency food and a decline in surplus commodities from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA provides food banks with a steady supply of canned goods and basic food items, as well as surplus commodities that are purchased by the government when farmers have an excess of crops. The latter has declined by more than 50 percent in the past year alone.

An updated version of the Farm Bill, which has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is awaiting a vote in the Senate, seeks to remedy the shortages by increasing mandatory federal support for food banks and pantries from $140 million to $250 million. Until the new bill is passed, though, food banks will continue to struggle.

[Read](http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/139677 “Read the Story”) (Roanoke Times)