Record 45.8 million Americans received food stamps in August

Food stamps (EBT) are more prevalent in the U.S. than at any time since the program began in 1964. (Photo Credit: CC BY/Clementine Gallot/Flickr)

A record 45.8 million Americans received food stamps in August, reports the Wall Street Journal. That’s approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population, 1.1 percent higher than in July and 8.1 percent higher than at the same time last year, according to a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The unemployment and food stamps duet

The boom in food stamps – more specifically, Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) distribution – continues to dance a duet of despair with America’s 9.1 percent unemployment rate, which has held steady for months. Experts predict that natural disasters like Hurricane Irene kept September food stamp numbers on the rise, too.

Texas holds the distinction of the state with the most food-stamp recipients at 4.12 million, while Mississippi had the highest percentage of food stamp recipients (more than 21 percent). California isn’t far behind at 3.82 million, according to USDA data. In states like New Mexico, Tennessee, Oregon and Louisiana, approximately one in five residents are receiving food stamps.

Nationwide, the total has risen every month on record except December 2008. In total, U.S. taxpayers spent $6.13 billion for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the official title of the U.S. food stamp program.

Contrary report from the Department of Agriculture

The blog Obama Foodorama states that on Oct. 24, President Obama revealed his goals in attempting to deal with potential food shortages via a new Farm Bill. At that time, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was reportedly quoted as saying that despite the fact that nearly 46 million Americans depend upon SNAP, use of the program was “declining,” contrary to USDA records.

“That number’s coming down from an all-time high earlier this year as more Americans are finding work with the creation of nearly 2 million private-sector jobs over the last 19 months,” Vilsack said.

Vilsack concurred that unemployment has contributed to the record use of food stamps.

“Over the last 20 years, that program has transitioned from a welfare program to one that is primarily utilized working families and seniors. Children of those working families are nearly half of all of the SNAP beneficiaries, and the elderly make up nearly 8 percent,” he said.

Ron Paul on food shortages in ‘New World Order’

Sources

Bloomberg Businessweek

Obama Foodorama

Wall Street Journal

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