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Comparing SNAP and WIC

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest of all the USDA food and nutrition programs. Although much smaller, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is often compared to SNAP in political debates and is recognized as a successful program. SNAP is reauthorized pursuant to the Farm Bill, while the Healthy,

Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 reauthorized funding and set new policy for WIC, among other programs.[1]

SNAP

SNAP is an entitlement program. This means that the government guarantees a certain benefit to a particular group or segment of the population by allocating funding to cover all potential recipients. Funding is not subject to annual review. SNAP benefits are conditioned on the financial income of the recipient. During times of economic downturn, SNAP is considered the nation’s primary safety net and is referred to as “the nation’s first line of defense against hunger.”[2] The program depends on federal-state partnerships and is administered by state agencies.

SNAP was formerly known as the Food Stamps Program. In addition to creating low agricultural prices, the Great Depression created food insecurity and reduced purchasing power in the general population. The first Farm Bill was enacted to address this problem. Farmers produced crop surpluses, but the problem of hunger persisted. From 1939 to 1943, Congress ran a program that distributed food stamps at a cost to participants. For every $1 worth of orange stamps that participants purchased, they received 50 cents worth of blue stamps. Orange stamps could be used to purchase any food and blue stamps could be used to buy agricultural surpluses.[3] The government ended the program when the economic situation of the country started to improve, but many in Congress sought to enact a permanent program.

In 1961, President Kennedy passed an Executive Order forming a Food Stamp Pilot Program, and Congress passed permanent legislation with the Food Stamp Act of 1964.[3] The stated goals were to strengthen the agricultural economy and provide improved levels of nutrition among low-income house- holds.[3] Participants were still required to purchase food stamps. This legislation also created federal-state partnerships to administer the program. In the 1970s, the government established uniform national eligibility standards and work requirements but expanded the program to reach more people. In 1977, Congress eliminated the requirement to purchase benefits. In the 1980s, however, the government increased restrictions on the receipt of SNAP benefits[3] and participation decreased.[7] In 1988, a law was enacted to permit pilot programs for Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, which are similar to debit cards. As of 2004, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories accepted EBT cards.

Under the 2008 Farm Bill, Congress made EBT cards the sole method to redeem benefits, prohibiting the issuance of food stamps as of June 2009.[8] Under this farm bill, the Food Stamp Program was renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Congress directed the USDA FNS to carry out pilot projects to identify methods that could reduce overweight and obesity and improve the dietary and health status of SNAP-eligible households.

Participation increased sharply during the economic recession in 2010 and reached its peak in 2013, when there were 47,636,000 participants in the SNAP program.[9] This is more than double the participation rate in 2004. The rate dropped to 46.5 million in 2014. The total cost of the program in 2013 was close to $80 billion.[9] Approximately 16% of SNAP benefits are provided to households with disabled persons, 9% go to households with senior citizens, and 49% of SNAP participants are children, with almost two-thirds of SNAP children living in single-parent households.[11]

The basis of SNAP allotments is the USDA’s food plan model called the “Thrifty Food Plan.” It was revised in 2006 based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as well as the 2005 MyPyramid Food Guidance System.[12] The goal of the Thrifty Food Plan is to provide a representative healthful and minimal cost meal plan to help SNAP beneficiaries achieve a nutritious diet with limited resources. [12] The Plan assumes that all food purchased is consumed at home. Note that the USDA created three other food plans that are used for purposes other than SNAP: the Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plan; implementing these for SNAP would require an increase in SNAP benefit dollars.

The maximum monthly allotment for SNAP in 2014-2015 was $194 for one person and $649 for a household of four people.[14] The allotments increase with each additional person. In 2013, the average monthly benefit for individuals throughout the country was S133.07,[15] and $480 for a four-person household.[16] [17] [18]

The definition of “eligible food” includes (1) any food or food product intended for human consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and hot foods and hot food products prepared for immediate consumption; (2) seeds and plants to grow foods for personal consumption; (3) meals prepared and delivered by an authorized meal delivery service, served by an authorized communal dining facility, or served by a group-living arrangement facility to eligible persons, including persons who are 60 years of age or older or who receive supplemental security income benefits or disability or blindness payments; (4) meals prepared and served to narcotic addicts or alcoholics and their live-in children by a drug or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation center; (6) meals prepared and served by a shelter for battered women and children; (7) meals prepared for and served by an authorized public or private nonprofit establishment, approved by an appropriate state or local agency, serving homeless SNAP eligible persons (e.g., soup kitchen, temporary shelter); (8) meals prepared by a restaurant that contracts with an appropriate state agency to serve meals to eligible persons at concessional (low or reduced) prices; and (9) in the case of certain eligible households living in areas of Alaska where access to food stores is extremely difficult and the households rely on hunting and fishing for subsistence, equipment for the purpose of procuring food for eligible households, including nets, lines, hooks, fishing rods, harpoons, knives, and other equipment necessary for subsistence hunting and fishing.82,83

As mentioned, the Agricultural Act of 2014 changed retailer qualifications. In order for a food retailer to be approved to accept SNAP benefits, it must offer for sale, on a continuous basis, a variety of at least seven foods (an increase from three) in each of the four categories of staple foods, including perishable foods in at least three (an increase from two) of the categories, or more than 50% of the retailer’s total sales must derive from staple foods.[19] This 50% allowance was in place prior to the 2014 Farm Bill and remained unchanged. The four categories of staple foods are: meat, poultry, or fish; bread or cereals; vegetables or fruit; and dairy products.[19] The USDA is planning to propose a regulation to implement this change by the end of 2015, with the goal of finalizing it in 2016. Notably, this condition does not require that SNAP participants purchase any of these staple foods, rather they simply must be made available.

The restaurant meal program, referenced in (8) above, is an optional program for state and local agencies to contract with a restaurant to prepare and serve or deliver low-cost meals to homeless persons, elderly persons and social security recipients, and in the case of meal delivery services, to elderly persons or handicapped persons and their spouses.[21] Only a small handful of states run a SNAP restaurant program.[22]

A third location where SNAP benefits may be accepted is at farmers’ markets. The USDA describes a farmers’ market as a multistall market at which farmer- producers sell agricultural products directly to the public at a central or fixed location.[23] Farmers’ markets typically sell fresh produce but may also sell meat, dairy products, or grain-based products. Participating farmers’ markets must accept EBT cards.[24] The government is permitted, however, to waive the cost of the electronic benefit transfer point-of-sale equipment, supplies, and services for farmers’ markets, unlike for approved for-profit retailers and restaurants, which must pay 100% of the costs.[25] [26] [27] Every state and the District of Columbia have farmers’ markets that accept SNAP benefits. Some cities and states have programs that provide SNAP recipients who spend money at a farmers’ market extra dollars to purchase fruit and vegetables there.91,92

  • [1] United States Department of Agriculture. Food and Nutrition Service. Cooperation inUSDA Studies and Evaluations, and Full Use of Federal Funds in Nutrition Assistance ProgramsNondiscretionary Provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Public Law 111-296.Final Rule. Federal Register. 2011;June 29176(125) 137979-37983. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21721318
  • [2] http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2012/09/0307.xml
  • [3] http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/short-history-snap
  • [4] http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/short-history-snap
  • [5] http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/short-history-snap
  • [6] http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/short-history-snap
  • [7] SNAP National Level Annual Summary: Participation and Costs, 1969-2013 http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/pd/SNAPsummary.pdf
  • [8] USDA Food Stamp Provisions of the Farm Bill. http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/arra/070308.pdf from website: SNAP 2008 Farm Bill http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/2008-farm-bill
  • [9] SNAP National Level Annual Summary: Participation and Costs, 1969-2013. http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/pd/SNAPsummary.pdf Available for UPDATE http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap
  • [10] SNAP National Level Annual Summary: Participation and Costs, 1969-2013. http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/pd/SNAPsummary.pdf Available for UPDATE http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap
  • [11] SNAP to Health. FAQ. http://www.snaptohealth.org/snap/snap-frequently-asked-questions/
  • [12] A. Carlson, M. Lino, W-Y. Juan, K. Hanson, P. P. Basiotis. Thrifty Food Plan, 2006. (CNPP-19).U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 2007.
  • [13] A. Carlson, M. Lino, W-Y. Juan, K. Hanson, P. P. Basiotis. Thrifty Food Plan, 2006. (CNPP-19).U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 2007.
  • [14] http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/how-much-could-i-receive
  • [15] http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/pd/18SNAPavgsPP.pdf For UPDATE: http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap
  • [16] http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2226
  • [17] 7 CFR 271.2
  • [18] 7 USCS § 2012
  • [19] 7 USCS § 2012.
  • [20] 7 USCS § 2012.
  • [21] 7 CFR 278.1.
  • [22] Marion Nestle. Using SNAP Benefits for Fast Food Restaurants Is a State Decision. September 14, 2011. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/09/using-snap-benefits- for-fast-food-restaurants-is-a-state-decision/245085/
  • [23] http://www.fns.usda.gov/ebt/what-farmers-market
  • [24] http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/snap/SNAP-FM-0514.xlsx Available from:Learn About SNAP Benefits at Farmers’ Markets. http://www.fns.usda.gov/ebt/learn-about-snap-benefits-farmers-markets
  • [25] 113 P.L. 79, Sec. 4002.
  • [26] C. R. Young, J. L. Aquilante, S. Solomon, L. Colby, M. A. Kawinzi, N. Uy, et al. ImprovingFruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Low-Income Customers at Farmers Markets: Philly FoodBucks, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2011. Preventing Chronic Disease. 2013110:120356.
  • [27] GrowNYC. Health Bucks. http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/ebt/healthbucks
 
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