USDA proposes SNAP eligibility change affecting 6.3 million

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed ending automatic eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a change the agency estimates could affect about 6.3 million SNAP recipients if adopted.

The proposal would change a pathway under which households receiving qualifying TANF assistance can also qualify for SNAP without separately meeting the program’s usual federal income requirements. TANF eligibility rules vary by state, while SNAP generally sets its income threshold at 130% of the federal poverty level.

The USDA estimates the proposed rule could remove nearly 18% of current SNAP recipients, or about 6.3 million people, from eligibility. Those figures are projections in the agency’s analysis, not confirmed benefit losses. The proposal has not taken effect, and the department is accepting public comments for 30 days before deciding whether or how to finalize it.

The agency also estimates that 1.8 million children could lose eligibility for free school lunches if the rule takes effect, because SNAP participation can confer eligibility for other nutrition programs. Losing that automatic route would not...