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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING GIVING AWAY FOOD STAMPS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF STARVING, WORM-INFESTED CHILDREN.

THE FOOD STAMPS ARE ORDINARILY SOLD FOR SMALL SUMS AND ARE USED TO BUY SURPLUS FOOD COMMODITIES WORTH CONSIDERABLY MORE. HOWEVER, CRITICS SAY THAT REALLY POOR FAMILIES CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY EVEN THE STAMPS.

AGRICULTURE SECRETARY CLIFFORD M. HARDIN SAID THE EXPANSION OF THE FOOD STAMP PLAN WOULD BE TRIED INITIALLY IN TWO SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES, DEPENDING ON APPROVAL OF STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS. IT HAS TESTIMONY ABOUT CONDITIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE WHICH PROMPTED THE MOVE.

HARDIN SAID HE WOULD UNVEIL DETAIL OF HIS PLANS SOMETIME TODAY AFTER CONSULTING WITH OFFICIALS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

HARDIN INDICATED THAT THE NEW PROGRAM, IN BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES, WOULD MAKE SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, NURSING MOTHERS AND EXTREMELY SMALL CHILDREN. HE SAID THE PILOT EFFORT WOULD BE AIMED AT HELPING THE "POOREST OF THE POOR."
HARDIN'S ANNOUNCEMENT CAME AFTER HE MET WITH SEN. GEORGE MCGOVERN, D-S.D., AND SENATOR ERNEST S. HOLLINGS D.S.C. CHAIRMAN OF THE SELECT SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUNGER AND HUMAN NEEDS, HAD CALLED ON THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT TO DECLARE A HUNGER EMERGENCY IN THE TWO COUNTIES TO QUALIFY THEIR RESIDENTS FOR SURPLUS FOOD COMMODITIES. SUCH EMERGENCIES ARE USUALLY DECLARED ONLY DURING NATURAL DISASTERS WHEN FOOD IS NOT AVAILABLE COMMERCIALLY.

BUT MCGOVERN SAID HUNGER SHOULD QUALIFY AS A DISASTER.

INSTEAD, HARDIN SUGGESTED HE WOULD WORK WITHIN THE EXISTING FOOD STAMP PROGRAM. AND HE INDICATED HIS EFFORTS WERE ONLY THE BEGINNING, ADDING "I HOPE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO HAVE QUITE A NUMBER OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT."
FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS THE FOOD STAMP PLAN FROM GIVING OUT FREE SURPLUS COMMODITIES. IN SOME AREAS FOR INSTANCE, $3 WORTH OF FOOD STAMPS WILL BUY $45 WORTH OF FOOD. BUT SOME HUNGER EXPERTS SAY THE POOREST PEOPLE CAN NOT EVEN AFFORD TO BUY THE STAMPS.

MC GOVERN SAID AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT LAWYERS FOUND A WAY TO [INCOMPLETE]