More than 4 million people have lost their food stamp benefits since last July. Many of them are children.
The drop is happening fast. And it is not slowing down.
SNAP, also called food stamps, helps low-income families buy groceries. But enrollment has fallen sharply since a major law changed the rules.
Here is what is happening, and why it matters to you.
The numbers tell a hard story
SNAP served about 42 million people before last July. By April, that number had dropped to roughly 37 million, according to preliminary U.S. Department of Agriculture data cited in an NPR report. yourNEWS
That is a 10% drop in less than a year. It is one of the fastest declines in decades.
And the biggest cuts have not even started yet.
Arizona is the hardest hit state
In Arizona, SNAP enrollment is now about half of what it was a year ago. That means over 400,000 people have lost benefits in that state alone, according to NPR reporting based on state data. WAMCNPR
The impact is showing up in food banks.
For the first time, more Arizonans are visiting food banks each month than are enrolled in SNAP, according to the Arizona Food Bank Network. WAMCNPR
“We think of ourselves as the canary in the coal mine,” said Natalie Jayroe, CEO of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, in an interview with NPR. She said Arizona is showing the rest of the country a troubling preview of what may come. WAMCNPR
Louisiana, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas have also seen steep drops. In Texas alone, more than 575,000 people statewide have lost SNAP eligibility over the past year. Houston Public Media
Why is this happening?
The decline traces back to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping law signed last July. It expanded who must meet strict work requirements to keep their benefits.
The new rules now apply to more people, including:
- Parents with children ages 14 to 17
- Adults ages 55 to 64
- Veterans
- Homeless individuals
- Young adults who aged out of foster care
Most people covered by these rules must now prove at least 80 hours a month of work, job training, or volunteer service.
The law also removed SNAP eligibility for some legal immigrants, including many refugees and asylees.
Unemployment has stayed near 4% this whole time. That means a stronger job market does not fully explain the drop.
Children are losing help too
This is not just about adults losing benefits.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reviewed data from 19 states that track children separately. In those states alone, more than 1 million kids have lost food benefits since last July. WAMCNPR
Not everyone agrees on why
The Trump administration sees the drop differently.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in an April interview that much of the decline reflects people who should not have qualified for the program in the first place, along with a stronger economy. Americandigest
But critics argue the numbers reflect tighter rules, not less need.
In July, the Agriculture Department told NPR that participation naturally fluctuates and the drop should not be tied to any single policy. WITF
Local leaders are pushing back
The pressure is reaching Washington.
A bipartisan group of more than 200 mayors sent a letter to the Senate Agriculture Committee this week. They are asking lawmakers to delay or reverse some of the SNAP changes. NPR
What comes next
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the new work rules alone will cut average monthly SNAP enrollment by 2.4 million people every year through 2034.
That means the numbers you’re reading today may just be the beginning.
If your household relies on SNAP, it’s worth checking your state’s current work requirement rules now, before your next renewal.
