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Trump administration proposes changes to SNAP program

By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

FILE PHOTO: A girl pays for her mother's groceries using Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) tokens, more commonly known as Food Stamps, at the GrowNYC Greenmarket in Union Square on September 18, 2013 in New York City.

By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

The Trump administration may be looking at revamping the program that ensures that low-income families have the food they need.

During a briefing Monday, Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney introduced a service that is similar to Blue Apron, or a food delivery service, the Washington Post reported.

The administration is looking to cut aid to the families, called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, but will add a box of canned goods to make up the difference.

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“It lowers the cost to us because we can buy [at wholesale prices] whereas they have to buy it at retail. It also makes sure they’re getting nutritious food. So we’re pretty excited about that,” Mulvaney said during the briefing Monday.

The box of food is being called "America's Harvest Box" by the Agriculture Department, the Washington Post reported.

The food stamp program costs about $1.37 per meal. A meal kit is about $10 per serving, according to the Washington Post.

The adjustments in the program are expected to the save the government $129 billion over the next decade, NPR reported.

Families who would get the box of food would be ones who currently get at least $90 a month. The change would provide half of their SNAP benefits in the box that will contain shelf-stable milk, ready-to-eat cereal and other pantry staples like pasta, peanut butter and cans of vegetables and fruit. No fresh products would be included, according to NPR.

Right now, those on SNAP receive money on their EBT card that can be used for anything that falls under the guidelines.

Many are not happy with the proposal, saying that stores like Walmart and Aldi will lose money if benefits are cut. The Food Marketing Institute told the Washington Post that the proposal is not efficient, expensive and won't show savings in the long-term.

The proposal was part of the Trump budget for the 2019 fiscal year, but will need approval from Congress if it would go into effect, NPR reported.

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