FOOD STAMP USAGE HAS FALLEN EVERY MONTH OF TRUMP PRESIDENCY

Food Stamp Usage Has Fallen Every Month of Trump Presidency

Food stamp usage has declined every month since President Trump took office in January, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics on food stamp enrollment.

Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) dropped to 41,310,785 in June 2017, the latest data available from the USDA, from 42,691,363 in January 2017.

Food stamp usage has been on a steady decline since Donald Trump began his presidency in January 2017, with the latest data showing that SNAP enrollment decreased by more than 1.3 million, or 3.23 percent, since the beginning of his term in office.

A closer look at the data shows that food stamp usage has been consistently decreasing each month since January 2017.

Here is the breakdown of how many people dropped off the food stamp rolls each month of 2017:

• January to February- 408,956
• February to March- 95,152
• March to April- 521,295
• April to May- 176,527
• May to June- 178,648

The most significant drops in enrollment took place from January to February and March to April.

The two months where SNAP participation dropped the most can be attributed to states that started reimplementing work requirements to receive food stamps around that time.

Georgia, for example, expanded work requirements in 21 more counties that went into effect starting April 1, 2017. The state began implementing work requirements in a handful of counties in January 2016.

Alabama fully implemented work requirements in all of its counties by January 2017.

Many policies at the federal level have also contributed to the decline in food stamp enrollment overall.

Trump’s 2018 budget proposal proposed cuts to SNAP, and suggested that states match up to 20 percent of federal money allotted for the food stamp program.

The president also called for states to expand work requirements for able-bodied adults receiving food stamps if they have not already done so. Some federal lawmakers are crafting legislation to implement this policy nationwide, along with time limits on how long food stamp recipients can receive benefits.

Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown has also indirectly affected food stamp enrollment. Many immigrants, both legal and illegal, canceled their food stamps over fears they might be denied citizenship or deported.

Food stamp participation on average in 2017 has dropped to its lowest level since 2010, and the steady decrease in SNAP enrollment shows this trend has no signs of stopping.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that this downward trend will continue through the next decade, with food stamp enrollment dropping 1 to 2 percent each year. By 2027, CBO estimates that 32.5 million people would be receiving food stamps.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/18/food-stamp-usage-has-fallen-every-month-of-trump-presidency/