US States Need to Address ‘Unprecedented’ Delays and Errors in Food Aid Programs – USDA, By Reuters

By Leah Douglas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is urging state governors to address significant delays and inaccuracies in the distribution of federal food aid. In letters sent to governors on Thursday, the USDA highlighted the urgent need for improvement in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports over 42 million low-income Americans.

The surge in SNAP enrollment, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising food prices, has placed a heavy burden on state agencies, which are tasked with administering the program. USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Nutrition, Stacy Dean, noted that many applicants are experiencing lengthy approval processes or are receiving incorrect benefit amounts, leading to considerable stress for families relying on this assistance.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reached out to the governors of 44 states, along with officials in Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia, emphasizing the need to reduce error rates and enhance the timeliness of applications. He stated, “People should not lose access to food because states are unable to review their applications in a timely fashion.”

Six states were not included in the correspondence due to their effective management of SNAP. According to USDA figures, 11.5% of SNAP benefits were associated with over- or under-payment errors in fiscal year 2022.

Previously, states have managed high caseloads successfully, including during the Great Recession, without facing the current level of issues, which Dean described as unprecedented. The USDA provides funding to match states’ costs for administering SNAP; however, failure to improve could lead to financial penalties.

SNAP is financed through the farm bill, a legislative measure renewed every five years. Although the last farm bill expired in September, it has been extended for an additional year as part of a recent spending agreement.