USDA Announces SNAP Benefit Suspension
It was announced last week that the USDA will be suspending SNAP benefits starting November 1 because of the government shutdown.
SNAP is the program that provides food assistance to low-income families. In a letter sent by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, it said, “If the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the nation.” According to a memo obtained by CNN, “The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it will not tap into its $6 billion contingency fund to cover food stamp benefits next month if the shutdown continues.”
How Many Families SNAP Helps in Indiana and Kentucky
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, in 2024, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helped 610,700 Indiana residents, about 9% of the state’s population, and 595,200 Kentucky residents, about 13% of the state’s population. Comparatively, it helps 41.7 million people nationwide, or about 12% of the U.S. population.
Nationally, about 62% of participants were in families with children, 37% in families with older adults or people with disabilities, and 37% in working families. SNAP participation lifted about 104,000 Hoosiers, including 47,000 children, above the poverty line each year between 2015 and 2019. In Kentucky, SNAP benefited 94,000 people, including 37,000 children…