U.S. to pay reduced food aid benefits

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration will comply with a court order to fund food aid benefits during the government shutdown, but only at 50% of the amount that eligible households normally receive

SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

Service: Nearly 42 million people per month in 22 million households – one in eight Americans

Benefits: Averages $187.20 per participant per month

Eligibility: Benefits vary depending on income, family size and essential living expenses

FOOD ASSISTANCE SPENDING BY USDA*
Fiscal year 2024, %

TOTAL
$142.2bn

70.2%
20.2
5.1
4.6

SNAP
$99.8 billion

Other programmes
$6.5 billion

Child nutrition programmes
$28.7 billion

Women, infants and children (WIC)
$7.2 billion 	

SNAP Cost per month
$8.3 billion

Trump administration will use $4.6 billion from contingency fund to cover about half of November’s SNAP benefits

USDA officials warn payments will take several weeks to arrive


*U.S. Department of Agriculture
Sources: AP, Reuters, USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Picture: Newscom
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