Newsbreak: $95 Minimum Monthly Benefits for SNAP Recipients Signed into Law by New Jersey Governor to Tackle Food Insecurity

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed a bill ensuring that SNAP beneficiaries will receive a minimum of $95 in monthly benefits per household. According to a report by CNBC on March 2, 2023, the program aims to provide sufficient funding for food for SNAP beneficiaries. All beneficiaries will receive at least $95 in benefits per month.

If a household is currently approved for less than $95 per month, they will receive a supplement from the State of New Jersey to reach the $95 minimum. The program will go into force on February 28, 2023, when the federal emergency allotments expire.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, signed by President Joe Biden on December 29, 2022, terminated SNAP emergency allotments provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act after issuing February 2023 benefits, based on the official website of the USDA on January 6, 2023.

The end of emergency allotments coincides with a rise in food prices of 10 percent in January 2023 compared to the previous year and a projected increase of 7.9 percent over the course of the year. This development is expected to increase food insecurity in New Jersey, as many households have been relying on emergency allotments to afford the food they need.

The minimum SNAP benefit will drop to $23 per month. In New Jersey, this causes families to lose an average of $190 per month. NJ previously set a minimum of $50 per month, but it was never implemented. The new policy aims to prevent greater food insecurity, but evaluation has not yet been conducted, as reported by Marissa Sheldon of NYC Food Policy on February 28, 2023.