Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Friday explained why the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees food assistance programs, doesn’t have the authority or funding to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) running on its own.
Funding for SNAP — a lifeline for low-income households — will expire Nov. 1, cutting off support for more than 40 million Americans.
It’s a devastating reality for families living paycheck to paycheck, as the loss of SNAP benefits could mean skipped meals and growing reliance on food banks, which are already stretched thin.
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During a news conference on Capitol Hill, Rollins said that there has long been a misconception that the USDA has money to fund the program. Rollins said there is a contingency fund at the USDA, but “it is only allowed to flow if the underlying program is funded.”
Even if it could be utilized, the fund itself would only have been able to cover half of the $9.2 billion that Rollins said would be needed for SNAP benefits in November.
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“It is a contingency fund that can only flow if the underlying appropriation is approved,” she said.
SNAP households reflect a broad cross-section of America, spanning working families, retirees and those facing economic hardship. Benefits vary from household to household based on income, family size and essential living expenses that determine eligibility and payment amounts.
The USDA has warned that if the shutdown continues past early November, states may have to delay or suspend SNAP payments altogether. Some governors are already making contingency plans, though federal law leaves them little flexibility without new funding from Congress.
About 41.7 million Americans, or one in eight households, relied on SNAP each month in 2024, according to the USDA.
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In that same year, federal spending on SNAP totaled $99.8 billion, with benefits averaging about $187 per participant each month, according to USDA data.
FOX Business’ Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
