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USDA announces SNAP benefits increase

3 min read
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For the first time in 15 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture updated its Thrifty Food Plan.

On Monday the USDA announced the plan had been re-evaluated for the first time since 2006 and, based on current prices and food trends, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will increase Oct. 1.

“To set SNAP families up for success, we need a Thrifty Food Plan that supports current dietary guidance on a budget,” said Stacy Dean, deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, in a news release. “Too many of our fellow Americans struggle to afford healthy meals. The revised plan is one step toward getting them the support they need to feed their families.”

Introduced in 1975, the Thrifty Food Plan estimates the cost of a healthy diet for an average family of four. In 2018, Congress requested the USDA update the plan – which has only been updated three times, in 1983, 1999 and 2006 – by 2022. After taking into account food costs and nutrients, nutritional guidance and Americans’ diets, the USDA found a nutritious and cost-effective meal costs 21% more than what was listed under the old Thrifty Food Plan.

The USDA reported Americans who use SNAP struggle to afford healthy food even when they put their earned income toward groceries.

About 1.8 million Pennsylvanians rely on SNAP to afford their meals, according to the state’s web site, and of those 1.8 million, 695,405 are children under the age of 18.

“The modernized Thrifty Food Plan puts healthy foods and beverages in reach for low-income families in Pennsylvania and across the nation by supporting a practical, cost-conscious, nutritious diet,” said Dr. Patty Bennett, regional administrator of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Mid-Atlantic Region, in an email. “As a result of the TFP reevaluation, average SNAP benefits for the fiscal year 2022 will increase by $36 per person, per month.”

That’s good news for the more than 21 million individuals in Fayette, Greene and Washington counties who rely on SNAP benefits to provide or supplement meals, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services latest numbers.

“Children who have enough to eat go on to have higher graduation rates, increased adult earnings and improved health outcomes in their adult life,” said Brandon Cwalina, deputy communications director for the state Department of Human Services, in an email.

Cwalina said older adults enrolled in SNAP are healthier and less likely to be hospitalized or live in a nursing home.

Cwalina also said SNAP purchases contribute to the local economy: In Pennsylvania, more than 10,000 authorized retailers accept SNAP.

“The recent changes mean that Pennsylvania will see an estimated increase in SNAP funding of $774 million compared to pre-pandemic levels, investing in Pennsylvania grocers and food producers and helping our individuals and families meet this most essential need,” he said.

For more information on SNAP, visit https://www.dhs.pa.gov/Services/Assistance/Pages/SNAP.aspx.

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