Overview
- An Agriculture Department filing by Deputy Under Secretary Patrick Penn said November SNAP allotments will be 65% of normal, revising earlier guidance that estimated 50%.
- Federal judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ordered the administration to use contingency reserves, prompting USDA to tap roughly $4.65 billion that can only cover part of a typical month’s $8–9 billion cost.
- State rollouts vary: North Carolina expects to load EBT cards by next week, Michigan will issue partial payments starting Nov. 8 for some recipients, Texas is awaiting federal direction, and Georgians report delays.
- The White House said it will comply with court rulings despite a Trump post suggesting benefits would wait for a reopened government, and officials warned the unprecedented prorating will take time to execute.
- Food banks report sharp demand spikes as cities and states deploy limited stopgaps, including Philadelphia’s $14 million fund and Michigan’s $4.5 million for food banks, while CBPP estimates about 1.2 million households could receive no November benefits.