FNS Documents & Resources

This annual report provides details on the demographic characteristics and economic circumstances of SNAP households at both the national and state level. In 2013, most participants were children or elderly - 44 percent of participants were under age 18 and 9 percent were age 60 or older. 

The attached questions and answers is a series intended to address inquiries received concerning certain retailer provisions of the Agricultural Act of 2014, PL 113-79.

On Feb. 7, 2014, SNAP was reauthorized as part of The Agricultural Act of 2014, PL 113-79. Attached is an implementing memorandum describing SNAP provisions.

The attached questions and answers are intended to address state agency concerns about the effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on SNAP. 

This is to advise you that we are expanding our criteria for the approval of waivers of the face-to-face interview at both initial and recertification. We also wish to note that since state agencies already may waive the face-to-face interview on an individual case basis based on a finding of hardship, we are now categorizing these waivers as waivers of the requirement that state agencies document hardship prior to utilizing alternatives to the face-to-face interview.

Protecting the confidentiality of food stamp applicants and participants has been an important component of the Food Stamp Program since its inception. While FNS has been aware for some time that a number of state agencies have been making use of group interviews in order to simplify office operations, recently regional pffices also have asked for guidance on various ways that group interviews might be conducted in their states. 

Attached is the fifth set of questions and answers in response to issues raised by states since the issuance of our four earlier sets of questions and answers, clarifying the certification provisions of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.

The US Department of Health and Human services published its annual update of poverty income guidelines in the Federal Register of Jan. 24, 2006.