As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in September, a whopping 359,389 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total declining 0.85% on a year-over-year basis, the first annual decline seen since early 2007.
Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 47.30 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 19.21% of the population.
Households receiving food stamps benefits declined by 94,170 to 22.99 million households with the current total rising 0.11% above the level seen a year earlier
Total nominal benefit cost declined 1.63% on a year-over-year basis to $6.30 billion for the month.
