Minnesota Researchers Lay Out Facts on SNAP Reliance

(Adobe Stock via Minnesota News Connection)

(By Mike Moen. Minnesota News Connection) – Federal food assistance is flowing again but the future still might look murky for some SNAP recipients as new restrictions take shape. Minnesota researchers feel the public should learn more about how benefits are used and where barriers remain.

The recent government shutdown spurred new conversations about the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as more Americans struggle with food insecurity. Shutdown confusion and disruptions may be over, but new work requirements from a Republican-led law are on the horizon amid GOP calls to cut waste.

Abby Gold, health and nutrition extension specialist for the University of Minnesota Extension, said people who use SNAP typically are not getting benefits over a several year-period.

“The average amount of time that a family utilizes SNAP is 12 months,” Gold pointed out. “We know that they’re utilizing it to lift themselves into a better situation and then they move on.”