Despite the shutdown, USDA announced it would be able to fully fund February SNAP benefits, however, they all must be distributed and enabled on every recipients’ card by this Sunday, January 20
By: Hannah Walker, Senior Director, Technology and Nutrition Policy, Food Marketing Institute<br /> <br /> <p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/photos-for-staff-use/center-aisle-carts-baskets/20151208-fmi-632-web.tmb-medium.jpg?sfvrsn=9bf9a6f_2" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="20151208-FMI-632-WEB" title="20151208-FMI-632-WEB" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px;" />As the partial federal government shutdown approaches the one-month mark, FMI continues to evaluate the impact on the operations of our member companies. Due to the “lapse in appropriations” that led to the partial shutdown, many of the federal regulatory agencies lack the funds to implement key programs that are important to improving access to healthy food across the country, including USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS) Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP).</p> <p>Despite the shutdown, USDA <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2019/01/08/usda-announces-plan-protect-snap-participants-access-snap-february">announced</a> it would be able to fully fund February SNAP benefits, however, they all must be distributed and enabled on every recipients’ card by this Sunday, January 20. States have been sharing their distribution plans with FNS to ensure that all states are set to distribute the benefits ahead of the Sunday deadline. As our members prepare for the change in the benefits distribution schedule, we have been collecting the states’ various distribution plans on our <a href="https://www.fmi.org/government-shutdown-resources">shutdown resources page</a> in addition to other helpful resources, such as a <a href="https://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/gr/fns-qa-on-february-snap-issuance.pdf?sfvrsn=be284c6e_2">Q&A document from FNS</a>.</p> <p>Our site also has suggested USDA messaging for retailers to use in their stores to explain the early issuance. It is also important that <strong>SNAP recipients understand that these late January benefits are their regular February benefits; there will not be additional benefits distributed in February.</strong></p> <p>We certainly hope that our leaders can work toward an agreement soon to reopen the government, but we will continue to serve as a resource for our members that are affected by the shutdown. <br /> <br /> Please do not hesitate to reach out to <a href="mailto:
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