USDA is aware of increased reports of EBT theft due to card skimming, cloning, and similar fraudulent methods. On Dec. 29, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the Omnibus), which includes provisions for the replacement of stolen EBT benefits with federal funds.
USDA's FNS and ACF at the Department of Health and Human Services are aware of increasing reports of benefit theft by criminal actors through EBT card skimming schemes. After discussions with EBT processors and fraud prevention stakeholders, FNS and ACF have identified prevention measures that can be adopted to improve card security while we work towards longer-term strategies.
The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 required USDA to re-evaluate the Thrifty Food Plan by 2022 and every 5 years thereafter based on current food prices, food composition data, consumption patterns and dietary guidance. By law, the June TFP is the basis for SNAP maximum allotments for the following fiscal year.
This memorandum provides the FY 2022 Cost-of-Living Adjustments to SNAP, income eligibility standards, and deductions for the 48 contiguous states and D.C., Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. COLAs are effective as of Oct. 1, 2021.
FNS intends to issue updated SNAP – Emergency Allotments guidance to provide benefits to certain eligible households, including those receiving SNAP benefits at the statutory maximum, that were previously deemed ineligible for emergency allotments by USDA.
This memorandum replaces the memo issued on Dec. 28, 2020, entitled SNAP – Temporary Increase in Maximum Allotments due to COVID-19. For ease of reference, FNS is reissuing the revised maximum SNAP allotment amounts by household size for the 48 states and D.C., Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 increases SNAP benefits by raising maximum allotments to 115 percent of the June 2020 value of the Thrifty Food Plan; effective from Jan. 1, 2021 until June 30, 2021.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a revision of a currently approved collection codified in Food and Nutrition Service regulations.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new collection for the purpose of learning about the types of SNAP related fraud activity observed by large retailers and the methods they use to prevent fraud and minimize their losses.
Section 17 of the National School Lunch Act, authorizes the Child and Adult Care Program. Under this program, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to provide cash reimbursement and commodity assistance, on a per meal basis, for food service to children in nonresidential child care centers and family or group day care homes, and to eligible adults in nonresidential adult day care centers.