Millions of US citizens face cuts to food stamps

More than 30 million US citizens are facing major cuts to their food stamps that could determine whether they are able to feed themselves and their families, forcing many to turn to food banks, according to US food banks.

The cuts to the federal government's food assistance program — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — began on March 1. Most households will get $95 less per month.

It will affect people in 32 states and the District of Columbia, according to the US Department of Agriculture, which operates the program. Eighteen states already cut SNAP benefits before the recent deadline.

In major cities, including in California, where 5.1 million rely on SNAP, and in Texas, where 3.6 million get the aid, the cuts are expected to have a widespread impact. Many food banks are preparing for a surge in demand.

Jeff Smith, senior manager of communications for the North Texas Food Bank in Plano, Texas, said: "We anticipate that about 500,000 individuals in the 13 counties that the food bank serves will be impacted as the SNAP Emergency Allotments ceases by a reduction of up to $70 million each month."

At the start of the pandemic, the emergency allotments came into effect as the economy squeezed wages. The federal government temporarily increased SNAP dollars for 41 million people on the program. It gave most qualifying households around $95 extra per month.

But after Congress voted to end it in February, those on SNAP will now receive about $6 per person per day.

Irena, 32, a single mother of two, was doing her midweek shopping for groceries with an electronic benefits transfer card which has the benefits on it, at a Western Beef Supermarket in Brooklyn.

She withheld her family name as she told China Daily she was a little "embarrassed" to be receiving welfare as she didn't have to when she was dating her ex-boyfriend.

Around 86 percent of SNAP beneficiaries are elderly, disabled or working families, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Two-thirds are families with children. The elderly had been receiving $281, but will now get just $23, figures show.

In January, inflation caused food prices to go up 11.3 percent compared to the same time in 2022, according to the consumer price index from the US Labor Department.

Conservatives are pushing for cuts to SNAP in several states, including Iowa, Kentucky, Kansas, and Wisconsin.

In Iowa, Republicans in the state's Legislature passed a bill this year to restrict families from receiving SNAP if they have liquid assets over $15,000. This includes a farm, tractor or car but not a house. The bill passed 58-41.

When Iowa's Republican Governor Kim Reynolds ended emergency SNAP benefits, 286,874 Iowans struggled to buy food, according to The Washington Post.