SNAP Food Stamp Participation: March 2015

As a logical consequence of the prolonged weak economic conditions, participation in the federal food stamp program remains at historic levels.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in March, 38,667 individual recipients were removed to the food stamps program with the current total declining 2.84% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 44.34 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 17.54% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased to 21.92 million households with the current total falling 2.52% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 3.33% on a year-over-year basis to $5.59 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: November 2015

As a logical consequence of the prolonged weak economic conditions, participation in the federal food stamp program remains at historic levels.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in November, 85,541 individual recipients were added to the food stamps program with the current total declining 1.75% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits increased to 45.45 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 18.05% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased to 22.41 million households with the current total falling 1.22% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 2.87% on a year-over-year basis to $5.73 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: October 2015

As a logical consequence of the prolonged weak economic conditions, participation in the federal food stamp program remains at historic levels.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in October, 47,097 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total declining 2.43% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 45.36 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 18.03% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits declined to 22.38 million households with the current total falling 1.73% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 4.01% on a year-over-year basis to $5.73 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: April 2015

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 April, 202,930 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total declining 1.75% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 45.43 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 18.15% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits declined to 22.39 million households with the current total falling 0.77% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 0.23% on a year-over-year basis to $5.75 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: September 2014

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, 16,412 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total declining 1.79% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 46.45 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 18.70% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased to 22.75 million households with the current total falling 1.08% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 8.75% on a year-over-year basis to $5.74 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: March 2014

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 March, 79,476 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total declining 3.41% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 46.09 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 18.69% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits went flat at 22.47 million households with the current total falling 2.76% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 8.93% on a year-over-year basis to $5.77 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: November 2013

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 November, a whopping 379,910 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total declining 1.36% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 47.03 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 19.07% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits declined by 150,238 to 22.9 million households with the current total falling 0.49% below the level seen a year earlier

Total nominal benefit cost declined 8.41% on a year-over-year basis to $5.92 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: October 2013

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.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: September 2013

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.

Unlimited Government!

Listening to a recent Diane Rehm episode entitled "The Politics of Food Stamps" which discussed proposed cuts to the federal food stamps program provides yet another example of how far out of hand and fiscally profligate the statist policy junkies have gotten.

The proposed cut, as stated directly in the opening of the show, would amount to 5% of the program cost, roughly $40 billion, over 10 years or put another way, roughly $4 billion per year for the next 10 years.

Recall from my prior posts that the current monthly cost of funding the federal food stamps program is $6.35 billion with an annual total of roughly $76.2 billion.

So, the proposed annual cut is less than the cost of funding the federal food stamps program for just a single month, spread out over an entire year.

Looking at it another way, the $4 billion annul cut equates to roughly $335 million per month or the equivalent of the cost of providing food stamps benefits to 200K recipients or 100K households per month.

Given the fact that there are currently 47.7 million food stamps recipients, this proposed “cut” is simply a "drop in the bucket", a mere rounding error on a program that has grown far out of bounds in both cost and purpose.

Of course, listening to the Keynesian policy junkies on the Rehm panel though, any cut is too much and completely unacceptable.

No matter that the federal government is effectively insolvent, relying on the Federal Reserve for a $45 billion monthly hit of “stimulation” just to make the ends meet on these programs… “We must not cut these important benefits” the Keynesians opine.

Keep in mind that the proposed cut would simply roll the level of spending back to that seen in mid-2011 with the program still providing benefits to roughly 45.7 million individuals.

At this point, “limited government” as it was traditionally framed is dead philosophy with advocates lucky to simply establish any limits whatsoever over the grotesque expansion of government largesse.  

To that, I say “Bring on the shutdown!”

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: June 2013

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 June, 125,059 individual recipients were added to the food stamps program with the current total increasing 2.34% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits increased to 47.76 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 19.45% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased by 45,908 to 23.11 million households with the current total rising 3.01% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 2.30% on a year-over-year basis to $6.34 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: May 2013

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has dwarfed the last peak (which looks like a minor blip by comparison) set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in May, 86,720 individual recipients were added to the food stamps program with the current total still increasing 2.45% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits increased to 47.63 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 19.41% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased by 32,084 to 23.07 million households with the current total rising 3.29% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 2.27% on a year-over-year basis to $6.32 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: April 2013

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has dwarfed the last peak (which looks like a minor blip by comparison) set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in April, a notable 175,902 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total still increasing 2.75% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 47.54 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 19.39% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits declined by 76,082 to 23.03 million households with the current total rising 3.72% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 2.80% on a year-over-year basis to $6.29 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: March 2013

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has dwarfed the last peak (which looks like a minor blip by comparison) set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in March, a notable 168,888 individual recipients were added to the food stamps program with the current total increasing 2.85% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits increased to 47.72 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population now stands at a whopping 19.48% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased by 109,731 to 23.11 million households with the current total rising 3.86% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 2.58% on a year-over-year basis to $6.34 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: February 2013

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has dwarfed the last peak (which looks like a minor blip by comparison) set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in February, a notable 213,962 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total still increasing 2.66% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 47.55 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population, declined 1.66% since February 2012 to now stand at a whopping 19.42% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits declined by 82,324 to 23 million households with the current total rising 3.84% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 2.32% on a year-over-year basis to $6.30 billion for the month.

SNAP Food Stamp Participation: January 2013

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has dwarfed the last peak (which looks like a minor blip by comparison) set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in January, a whopping 514,518 individual recipients were removed from the food stamps program with the current total still increasing 1.78% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 47.27 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population, increased 0.79% since January 2012 to now stand at a whopping 19.32% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased by 23,322 to 23.08 million households with the current total rising 4.05% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 2.85% on a year-over-year basis to $6.32 billion for the month.

On The Stamp: Food Stamp Participation December 2012

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has dwarfed the last peak (which looks like a minor blip by comparison) set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in December, 109,924 recipients were added to the food stamps program with the current total increasing 2.75% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits increased to 47.79 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population, increased 1.16% on the month to now stand at a whopping 19.55% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased by 48,683 to 23.06 million with the current total rising 4.07% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 2.78% on a year-over-year basis to $6.39 billion for the month.

SNAP Into Reality!

Part of today’s Kojo Nnamdi show on WAMU was dedicated to a nonsensical, “immense-government” era propaganda event currently taking the country by storm termed “SNAP the Silence” or “The SNAP Challenge” whereby participants show solidarity with the poor by attempting to live on roughly $5 a day, the equivalent of the daily stipend for a typical Food Stamps recipient.

Formally the Food Stamps program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP for short) function, as its new name directly implies, is to “assist” low income individuals and families in getting basic nutrition.

Given the simple fact that recipients are explicitly NOT expected to actually live on the assistance, what is the purpose of attempting to meet such a challenge?

Keep in mind that there are federal representatives from around the country (look up yours here) supposedly taking up this challenge and various groups participating and even producing videos that seek to strategize living on such a small sum.

For a hilarious example, watch this video of a guy who while first drawing the viewers attention to the plight of the poor and the small $5 a day stipend then goes on to suggest that he’s so far making it through the challenge “unscathed” due mostly to the fact that his “nutrition coach” has made him up a menu of “healthy and interesting meals” including such delights as “sweetened quinoa and berries”, a “tuna fish and hummus sandwich and a side salad”, and a “whole bunch” of “carrot ginger soup” which along with a diet soda came in at $4.75.

Again, the stated purpose of the SNAP program is only to provide “assistance” and is specifically not intended as the sole source of a recipient’s nutritional requirements.

With over 47 million Americans (23 million households) receiving SNAP assistance at an average individual monthly benefit of $135.72 ($281.21 per recipient household), the burn rate for just this one assistance program comes to $6.47 billion/month or $77.64 billion/year, but listening to these propagandists, you would think our country was providing little to nothing.

On The Stamp: Food Stamp Participation November 2012

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has dwarfed the last peak (which looks like a minor blip by comparison) set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in November, 141,067 recipients were added to the food stamps program with the current total increasing 3.04% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits increased to 47.69 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population, increased 1.46% on the month to now stand at a whopping 19.53% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits increased by 73,952 to 23.01 million with the current total rising 4.50% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 4.26% on a year-over-year basis to $6.47 billion for the month.

On The Stamp: Food Stamp Participation October 2012

On The Stamp: Food Stamp Participation October 2012

As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn, participation in the federal food stamp program is continuing to rise.

In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has dwarfed the last peak (which looks like a minor blip by comparison) set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.

The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture indicated that in October, 184,954 recipients were removed from the food stamps program after August and September's addition of over 874,000 with the current total increasing 2.79% on a year-over-year basis.

Individuals receiving food stamp benefits declined to 47.52 million which, as a ratio of the overall civilian non-institutional population, increased 1.22% on the month to now stand at a whopping 19.47% of the population.

Households receiving food stamps benefits declined by 40,952 to 22.93 million after rising by over 431,000 in August and September with the current total rising 4.36% above the level seen a year earlier

As participation continues to swell, so too has the total nominal benefit cost climbing 1.74% on a year-over-year basis to $6.34 billion for the month.