This memorandum is a follow-up to the FNS memorandum dated Aug. 1, 2013, announcing the Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Sunset (ARRA Sunset) Impact on Allotments.
FNS is adjusting the State of Hawaii's maximum and minimum SNAP allotments for fiscal year 2013, due to recent updates in the state's Thrifty Food Plan.
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and the USDC National Marine Fisheries Service will issue temporary approvals set to expire on June 30, 2014, for all CN label applications that contain grains/breads crediting information which do not meet the attached whole grain-rich criteria.
It has come to our attention that some state agencies are not in compliance with the requirement to issue a household's initial month of benefits within 30 days of the date of application. A survey of a number of states indicates that many state agencies handle initial issuances differently for those households that are determined ineligible for benefits in the month of application (e.g., the household is over income) but eligible for benefits in the subsequent month.
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has published a list of manufacturers that have met FNS's quality control program requirements for the CN labeling program.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 created the "Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund" for certain veterans and the spouses of veterans who served in the military of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines during World War II. SNAP will exclude these payments from income and resources when determining eligibility and allotments, and for all other purposes.
All manufacturers participating in the CN labeling program are required to have an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) or National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)-approved QC program by Oct. 1, 2009.
It has come to Food and Nutrition Service's attention that although states have incorporated the 13.6 percent increase to SNAP maximum allotments into their systems as a mass change effective April 1, 2009 there are some states where not every household will automatically receive the increase as part of their April allotment due to the limitations of certain state systems.
Attached is the stimulus allocation chart showing the allocation amount; this chart may be shared with your states.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes a 13.6 percent increase in maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, which equates to a $24 increase for a one–person household.