Millions of American families who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could be at risk as soon as November if the government shutdown continues. In a letter to state agencies, the USDA warned that they might not have enough money to provide full SNAP benefits next month.
“If the current lapse in appropriations continues, insufficient funds will be available to issue full November SNAP benefits to an estimated some 42 million individuals across the Nation,” wrote the letter, signed by SNAP development director Sasha Gersten-Paal. The letter was made available to USA TODAY by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Why SNAP may be impacted
Some federal agencies basically shut down on Oct. 1 when Congress could not agree on 2026 fiscal year appropriations. Without an agreement, the shutdown would continue through late October. To put that into perspective, the previous longest shutdown was 35 days in December 2018 and January 2019.
SNAP benefits rely on federal and state collaboration. States typically exchange information about benefits to eligible families with Electronic Benefits Transfer vendors on a monthly basis. But the USDA is now asking the states to delay sending that information “until further notice.”
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States getting ready for expected shortfall
Health officials in almost all states, including North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, had already informed individuals of an expected shortage of benefits in November.
“We are trying to get a better sense of exactly how that disruption will affect North Carolina,” stated the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. In the meantime, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is collecting data to develop a contingency plan for operating SNAP in the event of an extended shutdown.
What happens to SNAP during a shutdown?
Programs like SNAP operate on federal employees and resources. During a shutdown, some of them won’t be operating at full speed. Payments are usually made a month ahead, so October payments were not impacted. But without money restored, it’s unsure whether all November benefits will be disbursed in normal mode.
The USDA maintains administrative cost and direct benefit payment contingency funds. The remaining figure is unknown, however. If the shutdown lasts longer than October, the funds will be exhausted. During past shutdowns, like the 2018-2019 shutdown, the USDA prepaid benefits after Congress approved emergency funding.
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What is SNAP?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps low-income Americans buy healthy food. Benefits are loaded onto an EBT card, a debit card-like product, and used to buy food at participating grocery stores and convenience stores.
In 2024, SNAP helped 41.7 million people on average each month—nearly 12% of the U.S. population.
What this means for recipients
If the government shutdown continues, SNAP recipients could be issued lower benefits or delayed payments. State agencies and advocacy groups closely monitor the situation, urging Congress to take action so families of millions will not go hungry.
In the meantime, SNAP recipients must stay in close touch with their state agencies for updates. Any adjustment in benefit payments likely would occur quickly as officials strive not to have widespread hardship.
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