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–Helena
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USDA says it will partially pay November SNAP benefits
The Agriculture Department plans to use emergency funds to cover 50 percent of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program allotments this month, according to a court filing Monday.
“Per orders issued by the United States District Courts for the Districts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, FNS intends to deplete SNAP contingency funds completely and provide reduced SNAP benefits for November 2025,” the department said in its filing. USDA said that it has already used its $6 billion SNAP contingency funds to pay for SNAP state agencies’ administrative expenses and an additional $300 million for the Nutrition Assistance
Program block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa, so the account has $4.65 billion that will “all be obligated to cover 50% of eligible households’ current allotments.”
The Trump administration had earlier argued that the contingency fund is for emergencies such as natural disasters and is not “legally available” to fund benefits during a shutdown, but two federal courts ruled on Friday that the funds should be used for benefits this month.
The process for getting reduced November benefits out is expected to take time.
The department said it would give states more information on how to implement reduced benefits today. “To assist State agencies with the massive changes, USDA will have staff available for technical assistance,” the filing said.
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