WASHINGTON, D.C. – The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised its guidance to states late Wednesday, announcing that recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, will receive a larger partial benefit in November than initially planned.
The USDA initially planned to reduce the maximum SNAP benefit by 50%. The new guidance calls for a smaller 35% reduction in the maximum benefit.
According to USDA official Patrick Penn, “USDA performed further analysis and determined that the maximum allotments need only be reduced by 35%, instead of 50%, to deplete the SNAP contingency fund,” which the agency is legally required to tap into amid the government shutdown.
Full SNAP benefits for November would total approximately $8.2 billion. The agency declined a court option to shift other funds to pay full benefits, citing risks to other nutrition programs.
The adjustment follows an analysis by a left-leaning think tank, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which argued the original 50% cut was deeper than necessary. The Center’s initial analysis, based on the 50% cut, found that nearly 5 million food stamp recipients would not receive any benefits in November because their usual allotment was less than the planned reduction.
The final benefit amount for individual households can still be less than 65% of their usual payment, as the formula subtracts 30% of a household’s monthly net income from the maximum benefit. Most households do not receive the maximum allotment.
The issuance of partial benefits is being significantly delayed in many states due to the complexity of reconfiguring payment systems.
The delay has prompted a coalition of plaintiffs to return to court, arguing the administration is not complying with a judge’s directive to work “expeditiously” to ensure payments are made. The administration has countered that it has done all it can by releasing funds and providing guidance to states, which are not parties to the lawsuit. A hearing on the matter is set for Thursday.
