Food Stamp Program

This program supplements the food buying power of eligible low-income households by providing them with monthly benefits through coupons or electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. Eligibility is governed primarily by a household’s financial resources (e.g., income eligibility generally is limited to those with total cash income below 130% of the federal poverty guidelines). However, applicants and recipients also must meet some non-financial requirements — e.g., the eligibility of noncitizens is limited, work requirements are imposed on most adults. In general, benefits may be used to purchase any food item for home consumption in an approved food concern. The regular food stamp program operates in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Variants of the regular program (funded through nutrition assistance grants) operate in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Marianas. Food stamps and nutrition assistance grants are administered by the Food and Nutrition Service and are funded as entitlements by annual agriculture appropriations acts.

Authorization Path: 2.5.7.2.27.0