69 News at 5:00 - Food Banks Inundated Following SNAP Benefit Cuts
USDA data shows 37.0 million people were enrolled in SNAP in April 2026 after the program added stricter work rules for many adults.
- New USDA data shows 5.3 million fewer people received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits as of April 2026 compared to the end of FY25, following implementation of updated federal work requirements.
- Implemented Feb. 1, the Big Beautiful Bill Act mandates that many adult SNAP recipients work, volunteer, or train for 80 hours monthly, expanding requirements to those aged 55–64 and parents without children under 14.
- Arizona experienced the largest decrease with over 400,000 people losing benefits, a 54.8% decline; Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana reported over 20% drops, though Alaska saw SNAP enrollments increase 8.2%.
- The SNAP program cost $51,412,312,488 so far in fiscal year 26, while FY25 data shows 42,382,439 recipients at a cost of $95,782,095,890, alongside $10.1 billion in improper payments.
- Removing work exemptions for homeless people, veterans, and young adults aging out of foster care, the law also limits state waiver authority in areas lacking jobs, restricting non-compliant recipients to three months of benefits within a three-year period.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Texas could owe $709M for food stamps. Food banks say the fallout would be ‘catastrophic.’
Food banks across Texas are raising the alarm over a federal policy change that could force the state to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for food assistance benefits or risk leaving millions of Texans without access to food.
69 News at 5:00 - Food Banks Inundated Following SNAP Benefit Cuts
Food banks have been struggling to stay stocked due to higher demand since the federal government made changes to eligibility requirements for SNAP benefits. Hear from some local leaders on the policy, in a live report tonight on 69 News…
USDA: SNAP enrollment drops by 5.3 million following new work rules - State-by-state breakdown
New data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that as of April 2026, there are 5.3 million fewer people receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits compared to September 2025, the end of the federal government’s fiscal year 25. The decline in SNAP enrollments comes after new work requirements were implemented on Feb. 1.
How new SNAP restrictions could hit Greater Pittsburgh’s food access and economy
A sign noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer cards for food aid is displayed at a grocery store in California. Upcoming shifts in the federal food stamp program are poised to cost states billions of dollars, raising fears that more Americans will lose access to the nation’s largest food assistance program. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Re…
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