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It was not that terribly long ago when American children suffered from and died of severe malnutrition.

It was in the 1960s, and pockets of deep poverty were more pervasive than most people knew. Then CBS News did a report, shocking Congress into reforming the Food Stamp Program.

On May 24, that program celebrated its 30th anniversary, and Congress will soon be renewing the Farm Bill, under which food stamps are funded.

While food stamps virtually eliminated extreme hunger, many Americans still don't have regular access to enough food.

Food stamps benefit 26 million Americans every month, and more than half of them are children. Almost a quarter of a million New Mexicans use food stamps each month, and about 80 percent of that assistance goes to households with children. Most of the rest goes to elderly and disabled people.

Food stamps help low-income Americans from having to decide between buying their prescription medications or food. Or whether to pay the utility bills, pay the rent or purchase food.

The benefits, however, reach far beyond the recipients. The program pumped $250 million into New Mexico's economy last year alone, benefiting farmers, grocers and small businesses. In 2007, the yield will likely grow to $280 million.

Unfortunately, the Food Stamp Program is underutilized. Only about 60 percent to 65 percent of the New Mexicans who are eligible receive food stamps.

There are several reasons people don't apply for food stamps. They may not think they would qualify. They may not have transportation to an application site. They may be intimidated by the application process or simply feel too ashamed.

Even with these underutilization rates, food-stamp benefits don't always keep enough food on the table. A report for the New Mexico Association of Food Banks found that 26 percent of the people who received emergency food from a pantry, shelter or soup kitchen in 2005 were also receiving food stamps. They simply couldn't make their benefits stretch for a whole month.

Since its renewal in 2002, the Farm Bill has largely benefited corporate agribusiness with billions in subsidies, while too many Americans - one in 10 adults and one in six children - still lack regular access to enough food.

Congress must increase food-stamp benefits, relax the income limits at which people qualify, simplify the application process and conduct a public awareness campaign to reach those who don't know that they qualify.

Most important, instead of bowing to the budget cuts to food stamps that the president has requested in his 2008 budget, Congress needs to remember the importance of nutrition programs in the 2002 Farm Bill.

That American children still go to bed hungry should be reason enough.