USDA Faces Challenge Over Food Stamp Benefits Amid Shutdown

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stated it will not use its $6 billion contingency fund to cover food stamp benefits if the government shutdown continues into November. This decision threatens the assistance of approximately 42 million Americans relying on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

In a memo obtained by CNN, the USDA clarified that the contingency funds are available only when amount appropriated is inadequate for benefits. They emphasized that these funds cannot help cover regular benefits for fiscal year 2026 due to lack of appropriations.

President Donald Trump, however, assured reporters late Friday that food stamps will continue, saying, “Yeah, everybody is going to be in good shape.” The president did not elaborate on how that would happen, leading to confusion over his comments and the USDA’s memo.

The loss of SNAP puts even more pressure on Congress to resolve the shutdown, which has persisted since October 1. Lawmakers face a standoff, with Democrats linking support for a short-term spending solution to an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned last week that food stamp funds would run out by the end of October. States were advised earlier this month to pause SNAP payments until further notice if the funding lapse continues.

SNAP advocates, along with Democratic leaders, are urging the USDA to utilize the contingency fund for November benefits, estimated to cost around $8 billion. “It is essential for the administration to use available reserves to ensure that vulnerable families do not lose access to food assistance,” said an official from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

About one in eight Americans receive SNAP, a vital aid program that provides an average benefit of $188 per month as of May. The potential pause in benefits comes at a critical time when food assistance programs nationwide are already stretched thin.

Another program, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), was also nearing funding depletion. The Trump administration redirected $300 million, typically for child nutrition programs, to sustain WIC’s operations for the rest of October.

This shutdown isn’t the first to threaten food stamps. A similar situation occurred during the 2018-2019 shutdown when benefits were initially at risk of ending, but the USDA utilized a provision to make necessary payments.