This report is the latest in a series on trends in Food Stamp Program participation rates based on the March Current Population Survey. This report focuses on changes in rates from 1999 to 2001. Two sets of participation rates are presented: one for September and the other an average for each fiscal year. The September participation rates provide a point-in-time estimate whereas the FY rates provide an average rate over the course of a year.

Previous studies have shown that participation rates are higher among people eligible for a relatively large food stamp benefit than among those eligible for a comparatively small benefit. This analysis seeks to determine whether or not this relationship between participation rates and benefits holds for different demographic groups within the food stamp population. This analysis confirms that the relationship holds for most demographic groups. Surprisingly, the analysis also shows that there are many nonparticipating individuals eligible for relatively large benefits

This pamphlet provides estimates for Food Stamp Program participation rates by states. It will be the first widely-released document showing the percentage of eligible people, by state, who actually participate in the program. Because the data are from January 1994, prior to the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, they provide baseline data on participation rates prior to the enactment of welfare reform.

This report provides a comprehensive picture of individuals’ patterns of participation in the Food Stamp Program during the early 1990s, a period of rapid caseload growth. Based on data from the 1990 and 1991 SIPP panels (national longitudinal surveys covering the period from late 1989 to early 1994), the research addresses questions about why individuals enter and leave the FSP, how long participants stay on the program, whether individuals return at a later time and what factors distinguish those who are more dependent on the program from those who are less dependent.