Food Policy Bites: Federal Spending on SNAP Expected to Decline in FY 2024 As Emergency Allotments Phased Out
October 18, 2023
Food Policy Bites #8: As most states have phased out emergency allotments, the average monthly SNAP benefit per person has started to decline significantly. In July 2023, the ratio of average over maximum benefits dropped to 62% as most households no longer qualified for maximum benefits. Even at this ratio, the average monthly benefit remains higher than the pre-COVID era. It is likely that federal spending on SNAP will total $112 billion in FY 2023, a roughly $8 billion decline from its peak in 2022. In FY 2024, FAPRI-MU’s SNAP model projects that participation will decline slightly to 41.5 million people and monthly benefits will average $180 per person. Total federal spending on SNAP (including administrative costs) is projected to decline further in FY 2024 to $95 billion, down $17 billion from FY 2023. Higher benefits tend to make SNAP more attractive to those who are eligible, but factors like economic performance or changes in program rules can affect eligibility and participation rates in years to come.
Food Policy Bites are easily-digestible food policy insights supported by economic data analytics and analyses.