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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an adjustment to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for this month, following reductions linked to the ongoing government shutdown.
WASHINGTON — The USDA has released updated guidance on the expected distribution of SNAP benefits for November.
Initially, SNAP benefits were cut to 50% of their usual amount due to the current federal government shutdown, which is the longest in history. However, a recent memo sent to states has increased this amount to 65%.
The memo stated, “The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is updating its November 4 memorandum. The maximum allotments will now be reduced by 35% instead of 50%, resulting in maximum allotments for November 2025 being 65% of the standard maximum allotments.”
It further expressed gratitude for the collaboration with states that manage SNAP, assuring continued communication with updates as they arise.
The Trump administration told a federal court it would pay for the reduced benefits by tapping into the $4.65 billion contingency fund.
The rollout may face delays, leaving many families unsure about when they will see funds.
When will SNAP benefits start going out again?
Families in some states may not see their November benefits for some time.
The USDA told a federal court it will issue guidance to states on the partial payments.
States had already stopped processing November benefits after the USDA sent an Oct. 10 letter instructing them not to issue payments during the shutdown. States typically send enrollee data to vendors days or weeks before the start of each new month so funds can be loaded onto EBT cards. That process now has to be restarted and adjusted for the reduced amounts.
Processing time “will take anywhere from a few weeks to up to several months,” USDA official Patrick Penn said.
Why are full SNAP payments not going out?
Federal judges ruled that USDA’s decision to halt SNAP payments during the shutdown was likely unlawful and that the agency must use its contingency fund to keep benefits going at least partially.
While the contingency fund is worth $4.65 billion, a normal month of SNAP benefits costs over $8 billion, so the fund is not large enough to cover full payments.
But the administration told the courts it decided not to pull about $4 billion from other sources to make full November payments.
Officials said they did not want to tap a separate pot of leftover tariff revenue that funds child nutrition programs, such as school meals, arguing that shifting billions to SNAP for one month would lead to “an unprecedented and significant shortfall.”
In the filing, USDA officials also warned that the depletion of the contingency fund would mean “no funds will remain for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely.”
Katrina Morgan contributed to this report.
