The USDA’s Economic Research Service (what’s left of it) has released its annual report on food assistance, which cost $142 billion in 2024 for all of the 16 programs.
This is a decrease from the $168 billion spent in 2023.
Food assistance accounts for two-thirds of USDA’s budget.
SNAP accounts for 70% of USDA’s food assistance budget. Its 14% (inflation-adjusted) decline from 2023 “was larger than for any other year on record.” And that’s before this year’s proposed cuts.
SNAP participation and costs track closely with poverty and food insecurity; when they go up, SNAP goes up.
Comment: The best way to cut SNAP? Cut poverty.
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The post Weekend reading: The USDA’s latest report on food assistance appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
