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 October, a whopping 110,239 individual recipients were added to the food stamps program with the current total declining 0.29% on a year-over-year basis.
Individuals receiving food stamp benefits increased to 47.41 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 19.24% of the population.
Households receiving food stamps benefits increased by 54,236 to 23.05 million households with the current total rising 0.48% above the level seen a year earlier
Total nominal benefit cost increased 0.23% on a year-over-year basis to $6.35 billion for the month.
