Overview
- Following federal court orders spurred by a lawsuit from about 25 states, the administration said in a court filing it will begin sending states instructions on reduced November SNAP payments.
- The USDA guidance will include the percentage reduction, but officials caution implementation could take weeks or even months before payments reach Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.
- The contingency fund available is roughly $4.5–$4.65 billion, enough for about half to 58% of a typical month’s national SNAP outlay for roughly 42 million people.
- State officials in Wisconsin and Michigan say they have not yet been told how much each household will receive or when benefits will be loaded, affecting about 700,000 Wisconsinites and 1.4 million Michiganders.
- Food banks in Minnesota report higher demand and are distributing emergency supplies, and officials warn the reserve could be exhausted if the shutdown continues, risking another shortfall next month.