A new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has found that the expiration of pandemic-era emergency SNAP allotments has led to a significant increase in food insufficiency, greater use of food pantries, and more difficulty paying household expenses across the United States. The findings highlight the critical role SNAP benefits play in supporting vulnerable communities and the need for policymakers to prioritize strengthening the program.
Expiration of SNAP Emergency Allotment
Published Thursday in the journal Health Affairs, the study analyzed what happened after pandemic-era SNAP emergency allotments lapsed in 35 states this year. Programs like these, which delivered up to an extra $250 a month to over 43 million people, are why the coronavirus has not led to hunger on a scale that`s been anticipated.
But food insufficiency among SNAP recipients grew by 8.4% after the emergency allotments were discontinued, according to the researchers. Use of food pantries rose by an additional 2.1%, difficulty paying for household expenses increased 2% The study also found Black SNAP recipients had more anxiety symptoms than white participants after the emergency allotments stopped.
SNAP Plays a Critical Role in Reducing Food Insecurity
The results of this study highlight the importance of how SNAP helps food-insecure households in the U.S. THE BACKGROUND Food insecurity, which is defined as limited or uncertain access to nutritionally adequate food, affects 13.5% of U.S. households in 2023, the researchers say.
While the update to the Thrifty Food Plan expanded SNAP benefits for many families, the end of emergency allotments has meant that for families like Kim and Nicole’s — desperate to afford enough healthy food — that goal is further from reach. In turn this has consequences for public health with food insecurity associated with a wide range of adverse healthy outcomes such as malnutrition, chronic diseases and mental health problems.
Protect and Strengthen SNAP
With the Farm Bill — which funds SNAP — currently under debate in Congress, strengthening the program should be a top priority for lawmakers, according to the study’s authors. The benefits provided by the current Farm Bill are scheduled to expire on December 31, 2023: Congress must act now to ensure that SNAX continues in some form and perhaps is even enhanced.
This study’s results are particularly relevant to policymakers as they continue to struggle with the fallout of SNAP emergency allotment being rolled back since the expiration at the onset of the pandemic. Fully funding SNAP would help improve public health, while also ensuring that no American goes hungry.
