(NewsNation) — Under direction from the Trump administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has terminated its decades-old annual food security survey, even as hunger rates continue to rise.

In a statement Saturday, the USDA called the Household Food Security Report "redundant, costly, politicized, and said such studies "do nothing more than fear monger."

The survey, launched under the Clinton administration nearly 30 years ago, has long served as the nation's benchmark for tracking hunger.

Advocacy groups say they rely on the data to guide funding and program decisions. But USDA officials argue the report shows little progress despite significant spending increases.

“Trends in the prevalence of food insecurity have remained virtually unchanged, regardless of an over 87% increase

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