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Proposal To Limit SNAP Could Hurt Low-Income, Farmers

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At least 500,000 children would lose access to school meals, said a group of fifteen Democratic senators, including all Democrats on the Senate Agriculture Committee. (USDA)

A proposed USDA rule could take away SNAP benefits from millions of people.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the rule in July, saying “some states are taking advantage of a loophole,” known as categorical eligibility.

Around 3.1 million people, or 8 percent of SNAP participants, would lose benefits under the proposal. In addition, at least 500,000 children would lose access to school meals, said a group of fifteen Democratic senators, including all Democrats on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

In addition, the Trump administration has proposed more stringent enforcement of the 90-day limit on food stamps for able-bodied adults who do not work at least 20 hours a week.

Congress rejected similar proposals to limit SNAP benefits when it passed the 2018 farm bill.

“In proposing to curtail (categorical eligibility), the administration is trying to do by executive fiat what Congress rejected in last year’s farm bill,” said the American Medical Association in a statement.

Some say the new rule could affect farmers’ bottom lines, too - like in Kentucky, where the Kentucky Double Dollars program doubles SNAP vouchers at participating farmers’ markets. According to the Double Dollars website, $91,000 was redeemed in 2018 through the program, giving more people access to fresh local foods and providing more money to local farmers. A coalition of 24 Kentucky attorneys filed a comment letter against the proposal.

Read More:

  • Proposed Changes to SNAP Would Harm Kentucky Families, Children and Seniors (WTVQ)

  • SNAP proposal will ‘cut off millions,” AMA says (FERN Ag Insider)

  • Here’s who could lose food stamps under Trump’s proposed changes (PBS NewsHour)

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