SNAP is currently in a difficult situation following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. President Donald Trump has implemented cuts and modifications through the USDA. According to data provided by FRAC, the states of California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania will have to deal with the situation and the economic impact it will have on their citizens. Read on to learn more.
Why more than 40 US states could lose their SNAP funding
On July 4, the Republican tycoon signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which calls for $1.5 million in public spending cuts. Among the social programs affected is SNAP.
The measure will affect the fiscal year 2028 budget and includes changes to the eligibility and administration of benefits under the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) food assistance program.
Therefore, states with an error rate higher than 6% will have to assume part of the benefit payments, which until now were 50% financed by the federal government with congressional approval.
The distribution will be as follows:
- States with error rates between 6% and 8%: will have to cover 5% of the costs.
- Jurisdictions with error rates between 8% and 10%: will have to pay 10%.
- Territories with rates above 10%: will be required to pay 15%.
Meanwhile, experts warned that there is a risk that, if they do not have the capacity to cover the costs, certain states could be forced to abandon the program.
Which states are on alert for SNAP cuts: from California to New York
An analysis by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), published last July, highlighted the impact of Trump’s law on SNAP and noted that, starting in fiscal year 2027, the federal share of the program’s administrative costs will drop from 50% to 25%, meaning that states will have to assume 75%.
In this regard, FRAC pointed out that 44 states are at risk of being impacted by cuts to SNAP programs, according to data recorded in 2024. The top five are:
- California: With an error rate of 11%, the state contribution would amount to 15%, representing approximately US$1.9 billion in benefit costs and US$661 million in administration costs. This would mean a total of US$2.6 million, according to Newsweek.
- New York: $1.9 billion.
- Florida: $1.3 billion.
- Texas: $1 billion.
- Pennsylvania: $982 million.
Other changes to the SNAP program in the United States
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act also introduced changes to the eligibility process for benefits, such as the requirement that adults between the ages of 55 and 64 must demonstrate 20 hours of volunteer work per week, with exceptions for caregiving or medical reasons.
Restrictions on access to these assistance programs for refugees or asylum seekers in the US were also implemented across the board, while only legal permanent residents (green card holders) are authorized to receive benefits.
Ends government’s annual report on hunger in the US
The Trump administration is ending the federal government’s annual report on hunger in America, stating that it had become “overly politicized” and “rife with inaccuracies.”
The decision comes two and a half months after President Donald Trump signed legislation sharply reducing food aid to the poor. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the tax and spending cuts bill Republicans muscled through Congress in July means 3 million people would not qualify for food stamps, also known as SNAP benefits.
The decision to scrap the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Household Food Security Report was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. In a press release Saturday, the USDA said the 2024 report, to be released Oct. 22, would be the last.
“The questions used to collect the data are entirely subjective and do not present an accurate picture of actual food security,’’ the USDA said. ”The data is rife with inaccuracies slanted to create a narrative that is not representative of what is actually happening in the countryside as we are currently experiencing lower poverty rates, increasing wages, and job growth under the Trump Administration.’’
