FNS Documents & Resources

Because of ethical and legal considerations, FNS cannot examine the effect of participation in SNAP on outcomes such as food security through experimental studies that would require withholding benefits from those eligible. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify whether regression modeling of extant data could yield adequate comparison groups to assess SNAP outcomes.

This report provides information about the demographic and economic circumstances of SNAP households in fiscal year 2008. 

This report – the latest in an annual series – presents estimates of the percentage of eligible persons, by state, who participated in SNAP during an average month in FY 2007 and in the two previous fiscal years. This report also presents estimates of state participation rates for eligible “working poor” individuals (persons in households with earnings) over the same period. 

Legislative Timeline

This report is the latest in a series on SNAP participation rates. Estimates are based on the March 2008 Current Population Survey and program administrative data for FY 2007. 

On average, 19.1 million people living in 8.2 million households received food stamps in the United States each month in FY 2002. Food stamp households are a diverse group. Because food stamps are available to most low-income households with few resources, regardless of age, disability status, or family structure, recipients represent a broad cross-section of the nation's poor. This report provides summary information about the demographic and economic circumstances of food stamp households. 

The Food Stamp Program uses an asset test (also called a resource test) to target food assistance benefits to the neediest households. This report is one of a series presenting the asset and vehicle holdings of low-income households.

Food stamps are intended for food. When individuals sell their benefits for cash it violates the spirit and intent of the Food Stamp Program as well as the law. This practice, known as trafficking, diverts food stamp benefits away from their purpose. It reduces intended nutritional assistance and undermines public perceptions of the integrity and utility of the program. To combat trafficking, the Food and Nutrition Service conducts undercover investigations of authorized food stores. In addition, the agency has developed powerful new EBT-based administrative tools to identify and sanction traffickers.

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