USDA updated basis for SNAP calculations without peer review, says GAO report
When the USDA increased SNAP benefits by 21 percent last year, it relied on a re-evaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan that should have been subjected to peer review but was not, said a congressional agency on Wednesday. The Government Accountability Office also said key decisions in the re-evaluation were not adequately explained, analyzed, or documented.
SNAP benefits “fall short,” an increase would improve food security, says think tank
The premiere U.S. anti-hunger program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, fails to assure a healthy diet for millions of low-income Americans, said the think tank Center on Budget and Policy Priorities on Tuesday. Half of all SNAP households “are still food insecure, meaning they …
Slow rise in child nutrition costs, food stamp rolls shrink
The U.S. child nutrition program, due for renewal this year by Congress, will rise in cost by 4 percent annually for the coming decade from the current $21 billion, says CBO. In its annual economic baseline report, CBO says "growth in the number of meals provided and in reimbursement rates will lead to spending increases" for a total cost of $32 billion in 2025. Food prices are projected to rise by 2.7 percent annually in the coming years, a fairly normal rate of food inflation.