Newsbreak: Millions of Americans Brace for Food Benefit Reductions as Pandemic-Related Boost Comes to a Close

More than 41 million Americans who receive food-buying benefits through SNAP will experience a change to their benefit amounts soon, according to the USFDA on February 8, 2023. The pandemic-related temporary increase in SNAP payments, known as emergency allotments (EA), is coming to an end. In March 2020, Congress passed legislation allowing FNS to grant emergency allotments to all SNAP households to assist them in navigating the initial hardships of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, Congress approved another bill at the end of December 2022 that ends EA countrywide after the February 2023 issuance.

The end of EAs and return to “normal” SNAP benefit amounts will still be a substantial change for many households. SNAP beneficiaries are encouraged to make sure their contact information is up-to-date so that their local SNAP office can communicate any upcoming changes. Moreover, eligible individuals can participate in SNAP and other programs offered by FNS, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). WIC provides nutritious supplemental foods as well as nutrition education and referrals to health and social services. FNS also offers support through school meals, summer meal programs, the Emergency Food Assistance Program, the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, and more.

FNS is working closely with all federal, state, and local partners to ensure SNAP participants are aware of the upcoming changes so that they aren’t caught by surprise. Although some states have already stopped issuing EAs, including Alaska, Arizona, and Georgia, the temporary boost in benefits will end after February in all other states and territories. The 2021 Thrifty Food Plan re-evaluation and annual SNAP cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) help make sure SNAP benefits support a nutritious diet reflective of today’s food costs.