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5h ago

USDA Plans Half-Month SNAP Payouts as Shutdown Extends and Courts Intervene

Court orders forced use of contingency funds that cover only part of November benefits.

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More than 42 million Americans rely on SNAP, which is expected to be only partly funded through November.
A sign for food stamps, as the U.S. President Donald Trump administration said it plans on Monday to partially fund food aid for millions of Americans after two judges ruled it must use contingency funds to pay for the benefits in November during the government shutdown, outside a grocery story in Baldwin, New York, U.S., November 3, 2025. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
AJ Wark, 21, a maritime studies student at Texas A&M University at Galveston, poses on campus on Nov. 2, 2025. Wark, who depends on SNAP benefits, said she has had difficulty saving money for essential needs. “A lot of students are able to get a meal plan, but there are students who weren’t approved for loans. Now that SNAP is being cut off, it’s been kind of tough for a lot of us,” she said.

Overview

  • Two federal judges directed the government to keep SNAP operating and to tap emergency reserves, and the administration now plans to pay about 50% of typical November benefits from limited USDA contingency funds.
  • USDA filings indicate roughly $4.6–$4.7 billion is available for November, far short of the $8–$9 billion normally needed, and officials warn reduced payments could take weeks or even months to reach EBT cards.
  • Pennsylvania’s human services chief says the federally mandated process for calculating partial benefits is unusually complex and will delay aid, urging permission to issue a straight 50% allotment per household using a faster method.
  • President Trump publicly threatened to withhold benefits until the shutdown ends, but the White House says it is complying with court orders, and cities and nonprofits are seeking further relief in a new hearing to push for full payments.
  • States and private groups are mounting stopgaps as food banks report surging demand, with Maryland funding full November benefits and others like Louisiana and Vermont allocating emergency aid, while USDA reminds retailers of equal-treatment rules and delivery platforms roll out limited discounts and free meals.