(Oct. 15) The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) has instructed all counties to stop taking new applications for food stamps effective Wednesday.

Why? Because while the state received money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund the program through October, the shutdown may prevent another payment Minnesota needs to process Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in November.

The DCYF said it received notice from the USDA that without renewed federal support, there are insufficient funds to pay for SNAP benefits in November.

The agency also told the counties, which administer SNAP, that – barring change – on Tuesday, Oct. 21, food stamp recipients will be notified that they will not receive November benefits.

There are about 440,000 f

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