Federal spending on food stamps will rise by $24 billion this fiscal year, largely due to USDA’s recalculation of the cost of a nutritious diet, said the Congressional Budget Office in a budget outlook that makes projections about the state of the federal budget and economy through 2032. The 18 percent increase in outlays would boost the cost of SNAP to $159 billion.
“Total benefits are projected to remain high in 2022 and 2023 before declining in 2024 and 2024,” said the CBO. Emergency allotments authorized in response to the pandemic were expected to continue through August 2023 and Pandemic EBT benefits, to help low-income families buy food for school-age children, would continue through fiscal 2023, it said. Fiscal years end each Sept 30.
With the expiration of pandemic aid, SNAP costs would drop to $110 billion in 2024 and $104 billion in 2025, according to the CBO. Participation was forecast at 41.2 million people this year and would drop throughout coming years, to 33.1 million in 2032. SNAP costs would rise slightly with inflation in food prices, so the program would cost $111 billion in 2032.
Spending under the taxpayer-supported federal crop insurance program would total $9.5 billion this year and average $8 billion annually in the decade ahead, said the budget outlook. USDA crop subsidies and mandatory land stewardship spending was projected at $6.9 billion this year. Costs would drop to $6.4 billion in 2023 but average $9.5 billion annually through 2032.