Thirty-one states will cut food-stamp benefits beginning in March as the emergency allotments tied to the COVID-19 pandemic are coming to an end under a new government spending bill.
“SNAP emergency allotments were a temporary strategy authorized by Congress to help low-income individuals and families deal with the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic,” an announcement from the US Department of Agriculture explained.
The increase began in January 2021, and eligible families received a 15% boost in monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. SNAP is a combination federal-state program
The cuts in 31 states will affect more than 30 million people who are enrolled in the SNAP program and will represent an average of about $95 per month.
SNAP benefits can be used to purchase food items such as:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat, poultry and fish
- Dairy products
- Breads and cereals
- Snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages
- Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat
Which states are ending the extra benefits this month?
The states where emergency benefits are ending this month are::
1. Alabama
2. California
3. Colorado
4. Connecticut
5. Delaware
6. District of Columbia
7. Hawaii
8. Ilinois
9. Kansas
10. Louisiana
11. Maine
12. Maryland
13. Michigan
14. New Jersey
15. New Hampshire
16. New Mexico
17. New York
18. North Carolina
19. Ohio
20. Oklahoma
21. Oregon
22. Pennsylvania
23. Rhode Island
24. South Carolina
25. Texas
26. Utah
27. Vermont
28. Virginia
29. Washington
30. West Virginia
31. Wisconsin
