ORLANDO, Fla. — Changes are taking effect in the federal food assistance program that helps hundreds of thousands of Central Floridians afford groceries.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, is increasing its maximum benefit for most households.
However, the boost comes as new, stricter eligibility and work requirements also take effect.
The changes come as families continue to feel the effects of higher prices at the grocery store.
Farmers are facing higher costs, too. Record-high diesel prices are adding to the expense of planting, harvesting, and transporting food.
Those higher operating costs can ripple through the economy, including into the prices consumers pay for food.
More than 36 million Americans rely on SNAP to help put food on the table.
Eligibility generally depends on factors including household income, disability status and where a person lives.
Under changes approved by Congress last year as part of President Donald Trump’s spending and tax legislation, stricter work requirements are being phased in for some SNAP recipients.
The age limit for able-bodied adults without dependents subject to those requirements is also increasing, from 54 to 64.
At the same time, the maximum monthly SNAP benefit for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states is increasing from $994 to $1,023 to account for inflation.
That works out to less than $3 per person, per meal.
Another significant change shifts more of the administrative cost of running SNAP to the states.
States will eventually be responsible for 75% of administrative costs, up from 50%, potentially adding millions of dollars in expenses for state governments.
The changes are already affecting SNAP enrollment in some states. About 5 million Americans, including more than 1 million children, have reportedly lost access to the program.
The Trump administration and congressional Republicans have argued that reducing SNAP spending is necessary to lower federal costs.
Democrats have raised concerns that the additional costs and requirements could lead some states to reconsider their participation in the program.
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