OPINION: Hungry Families Shouldn’t Be a Political Bargaining Chip

Hungry Families Shouldn’t Be a Political Bargaining Chip

By RF Buche

I’ve spent my entire life in grocery stores. I am a fourth-generation grocer and President
& CEO of GF Buche Co., serving rural and tribal communities in South Dakota for 120
years. Some of our customers are the poorest people in the United States and live in
the most remote areas of South Dakota. I know exactly what role local grocers play, and
right now, that role has never been more critical.

The government shutdown has thrown the future of SNAP benefits into uncertainty for
November, creating immediate hardship for families in tribal and rural communities. The
South Dakota Department of Social Services has warned that future funding is
uncertain, and communities must be ready to respond.

Families are anxious, wondering if and when they’ll be able to put food on the table.
Children should not feel the stress of parents deciding whether to skip meals. And even
if benefits land this month, the scheduled cuts coming in 2026 keep me up at night. I
know who will pay the price: parents working multiple jobs, children whose school
lunches may be their only full meal, elders choosing between food and medicine, and
veterans who served their country but now struggle just to eat.

When Washington plays politics, real families go hungry.

On SNAP disbursement days, we keep our stores open late. If you stand inside at
midnight, you’ll see a parent pushing two carts, one for groceries and one with a
sleeping child wrapped in a blanket. Hunger. Exhaustion. Relief. For many, it’s the first
real food in days.

This isn’t hypothetical. It happens every month in South Dakota.

Rural Hunger Looks Different

In places like Pine Ridge, Mission, Marty, and Lower Brule, hunger isn’t about poor
choices; it’s about barriers built into geography and economy: long distances, limited
transportation, and fewer jobs. More than 113,000 South Dakotans, including 1 in 5 children, struggle with food insecurity. These aren’t statistics in my stores. They are customers.

This Isn’t Political. It’s Personal.

I’m not here to point fingers. I’m here to say that kids shouldn’t go to bed hungry while
Congress argues over shutdown leverage. Treating food access as a bargaining chip is
a moral failure.

South Dakotans take care of each other. When one neighbor struggles, the rest of us
step up. That’s not charity, that’s who we are. But right now, decisions made thousands
of miles away are pushing families to the edge.
SNAP Works, And Cuts Will Hurt

SNAP is not a luxury. It is the backbone of food access for:
• Working parents
• Seniors with limited income
• Kids who deserve nourishment to learn and grow
• Veterans deserving more than survival mode
SNAP dollars spent in a rural store support the entire community, keeping doors open,
jobs local, and shelves full. Cutting this support is not responsible governance.
We’re Stepping Up - Washington Must Too.

Through our nonprofit, Team Buche Cares, teambuchecares.org is launching an
Emergency SNAP Support Program to provide $100 grocery certificates to as many
families as funds will allow affected by the loss of SNAP support. 100% of Team Buche
Cares funds go directly to food assistance — no administrative fees, no delay. We are
doing everything we can to fill the gaps. We help where we can, including urgent
grocery assistance when a family requests support, because hunger doesn’t operate on
a government timeline.

Hungry Children Can’t Wait

This isn’t a policy debate. It’s dinner. Stability. Survival.
Here’s what I’m asking Congress to do:
• End the shutdown
• Fully fund SNAP for November
• Reverse the cuts planned for 2026
• Remember the families living with the consequences
My family built our grocery stores on one belief: food is love, food is dignity, and food is
hope. In the United States of America, in the heart of South Dakota, no child should
have to worry about eating.

South Dakotans take care of each other. Caring for our neighbors, sharing in times of
plenty and ensuring no one is forgotten, those are the values that make our state
strong.

It’s time for Washington to do the same.

RF Buche (RF@gfbucheco.com) is the President & CEO of GF Buche Companies buchefoods.com, and Founder of Team Buche Cares teambuchecares.org. He is a fourth-generation grocer serving rural and tribal communities across South Dakota, where his family’s business has operated for 120 years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Results Townsquare Media, its staff, contributors, affiliates, or advertisers.