A federal judge has stopped a set of changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program put in by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Those were set to go into effect April 1, 2020. Under those changes, able bodied adults without dependents were to show they’ve worked 80 hours per month for more than three months in order to get food stamps. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish thinks the judge was right in throwing that rule out.
Wertish says the USDA needs to redo the SNAP rules and make sure that those who need the assistance are able to get it.
He says it’s a tough time for everyone, not only those needing SNAP benefits but also for farmers and others being impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic.
Federal Judge Beryl Howell said in his ruling that it would be arbitrary and capricious to move forward during a global health crisis with food stamp changes that could force hundreds of thousands from the program.
