USDA Adjusts Reduction Formula Amid Ongoing Legal and Technical Challenges
The U.S. government has revised its plan for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), announcing a smaller reduction in monthly food benefits. According to updated guidance from the Department of Agriculture (USDA), maximum allotments will now be cut by 35% instead of 50% as initially planned.
Despite this adjustment, the overall formula for calculating partial payments remains unchanged, meaning many families who rely on the nation’s largest food assistance program will continue to experience significant cuts. Households receiving the maximum benefit will now obtain about 65% of their regular aid for November, while those with additional income sources such as social security, disability, or employment will receive less.
States Struggle to Implement Revised Payment System
The revision came after federal judges ruled that the administration must use all available contingency funds to sustain SNAP operations during the funding lapse. However, the USDA’s partial funding plan still presents complex challenges for state agencies tasked with distributing benefits. Many states operate outdated computer systems that make recalculations time-consuming and technically difficult.
Officials in several states warned that processing new benefit amounts could take weeks or months. State representatives emphasized that the recalculations demand a “complete system overhaul,” raising concerns about delays and missed payments for millions of Americans.
Calls for Simpler Funding Methods
Some state governments have requested permission to apply simplified methods for faster implementation—such as providing half of each household’s typical SNAP benefit—similar to emergency procedures used during the pandemic. The USDA, however, has maintained its more complex formula.
As delays persist, advocacy groups and municipalities have returned to federal court, seeking enforcement of judicial orders that direct the administration to restore SNAP benefits as quickly as possible.
