Why 4.3 million people no longer receive food stamps
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins credited a 4.3 million drop in SNAP participants to reduced fraud and a stronger economy, citing wage growth outpacing inflation.
- Experts dispute this, attributing the decline primarily to new work requirements and eligibility restrictions introduced by the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (H.R. 1), which tightened access to SNAP.
- Fraud in SNAP is minimal, with less than 1% of participants disqualified for fraud in 2023, making it an unlikely cause for the sharp participation decrease.
- Despite modest economic growth and slight wage increases, food insecurity persists due to rising food prices and ongoing poverty, with many low-income households not benefiting from economic gains.
- The legislation raised work requirements, narrowed exemptions, and restricted eligibility for certain groups, leading to a significant drop in SNAP enrollment, especially after the bill's July 2025 enactment.
