Recently, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a warning that if the federal government continues its shutdown, the funding for food stamps in various states will be exhausted next month, leaving approximately 42 million recipients who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at risk of food shortage.
On October 10th, the USDA sent a letter to states indicating that beneficiaries of food stamps would still receive their food assistance for this month. However, if the funding delay persists, there will not be enough funds to pay the November benefits for approximately 42 million people nationwide.
The federal government shutdown has now entered its 16th day with no signs of resolution in sight. Currently, the most severely affected are federal employees, many of whom have gone two weeks without receiving their salaries. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated to the media on Thursday, October 16th, “Our funding will run out in two weeks. Millions of vulnerable, hungry families will lose their food assistance due to the government shutdown.”
Sources revealed that as of Thursday, 17 states across the U.S. have halted the distribution of SNAP benefits for new applicants in October, including New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts. The issue in these states is that their systems cannot differentiate between the benefits allocated proportionally for October (paid from existing funds) and the benefits for November (funds have been cut off), leading to a complete halt.
On September 30th, the USDA released a contingency plan for the shutdown, stating that SNAP could rely on emergency funds accumulated over the years to keep running without interrupting state operations. However, officials admitted on Thursday that the emergency funds currently have only around $6 billion remaining, while the national food stamp expenditure in November requires $8.1 billion, creating a significant shortfall.
The USDA clarified that the October benefits were not impacted as those funds had been distributed in September. SNAP benefits are provided in the form of electronic cards that can be used to purchase daily food necessities.
Earlier this week, President Trump ordered the Pentagon to utilize remaining funds to ensure military personnel receive their salaries. This move has been questioned by legal scholars, arguing that Trump violated Congress’s appropriation power. Federal law generally prohibits the President from using funds not approved by Congress.
Crystal FitzSimons, Chair of the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), urged the White House, saying, “Just as the government has found ways to prioritize other matters during this shutdown, it must act with the same urgency to protect SNAP and ensure that American families do not go hungry.”