USDA revises SNAP reduction plan to provide more partial benefits in November

Eric Gay/AP via CNN Newsource

(CNN) — The US Department of Agriculture issued revised guidance to states on Wednesday evening that will result in food stamp enrollees receiving somewhat larger partial benefits in November.

The update, disclosed in a new court filing, calls for reducing the maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit by 35%, instead of the original 50%.

The agency is issuing only partial benefits this month to comply with a court order requiring it to tap into SNAP’s contingency fund amid the government shutdown.

“USDA performed further analysis and determined that the maximum allotments need only be reduced by 35%, instead of 50%, to deplete the SNAP contingency fund,” Patrick Penn, a top USDA official, told the court.

The update comes shortly aft