Texas extends SNAP food stamp program in November as food prices rise
Texas extends SNAP food stamp program in November as food prices rise
Texas has boosted funding for a key food assistance program, the latest effort to combat soaring food prices caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and related, global supply chain issues.
On Thursday, the state announced an additional $310 million in funding for the emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for November. The move maxes out the allowable amount of benefits for recipients based on family size and, according to officials, will give recipient families a minimum $95 extra by the end of the month.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission said it expects the funding will help more than 1.5 million households in the state.
The move comes as food prices continue to rise across the country due to labor shortages, global supply chain hiccups and other effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, the Labor Department reported that food prices nationally jumped nearly 1 percent in September and rose 4.5 percent over the year.
The department also reported an 8.3 percent jump in wholesale prices overall since August 2020 — the largest year-over-year jump in wholesale inflation since 2010, when the agency first began tracking the metric.
robert.downen@chron.com