Economy
Why the Sharp Decline in the Number of Food Stamp Recipients Isn't Necessarily a Good Thing
New data from the USDA shows an extreme drop-off in SNAP participation since a federal work requirement came into effect in April.
In April, a safety net unraveled for hundreds of thousands of Americans when a federal provision linking food assistance to a work requirement eliminated many people’s access to supplemental nutrition assistance (SNAP) benefits.
Since the provision came into effect on April 1, SNAP participation rates have dramatically decreased. New data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that, in April alone, SNAP participation declined by 773,000 people—the largest single-month drop, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, since temporary disaster relief benefits ended for Hurricane Katrina victims in 2005.