SNAP Map Shows Benefit Delays by State

SNAP recipients across the country are experiencing delays in getting their food benefits, with widespread issues with the processing and delivery of food stamps reported in the majority of U.S. states and territories.

In February, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack penned a letter to 47 U.S. states and territories conveying concerns regarding extensive issues with the administration of SNAP benefits. Previous Newsweek reporting has found there have been considerable delays in several states, with recipients telling Newsweek they have been forced to wait months for the program to certify or pay their benefits.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is administered by each U.S. state, while funds are provided by the federal government. Overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, the government agency designates that states must process 95 percent of all SNAP applications and payments within 30 days, as stipulated by federal law.

But this is not the case for numerous states across the country. According to Vilsack's letters, the worst performing states across the U.S. for timely processing of SNAP benefits are:

• Washington D.C. - 43.47 percent
• North Dakota - 55.68 percent
• New York - 64.95 percent
• Florida - 66.37 percent
• New Mexico - 72.81 percent

Some states addressed by Vilsack have APT {application processing time) rates higher than 95 percent, but were pulled up by the USDA on other issues such as over or underpayment of SNAP benefits. For example, while Illinois has an APT rate of 99.86 percent, a letter was issued due to the state having an overpayment error rate of 9.67 percent and an underpayment rate of 1.24 percent in the 2022 fiscal year. The USDA deems acceptable performance as below six percent when the two are added together.

The only states that did not get a letter from Vilsack are Alabama, Idaho, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

"SNAP serves as our nation's foundational safety net, a crucial resource for the well-being of low-income families, older adults, and individuals with disabilities," wrote Secretary Vilsack in his letter. "Timely and accurate SNAP processing is critical to meeting the nutrition needs of low-income families and protecting the integrity of SNAP. Americans in need should have access to essential benefits without unnecessary delays. States must deliver benefits in the right amounts, to the right individuals, in the required periods of time."

Although not included in the top five states with the worst track record for processing SNAP applications, previous reporting by Newsweek has found hefty delays in other states that were issued with Vilsack's warning.

In Tennessee, tens of thousands of SNAP applications have been delayed due to the introduction of a new processing system, leaving some to go without benefits for months on end.

In a statement issued to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Tennessee's Department of Human Services said: "Since January, the Department has reduced its number of overdue pending applications by more than 97 percent. At close of business 3/22, we had fewer than 1,500 pending initial SNAP applications older than 30 days. We are continuing to make significant progress to reduce our processing times to ensure customers receive benefits as timely as possible."

Several counties in Colorado have also experienced delays with the administering of SNAP, with one county processing just a quarter of applications within the federally mandated time limit. In Florida, glitches in a recently implemented application portal have resulted in SNAP recipients losing all or part of their recertification applications.

Are you experiencing SNAP delays in the states included in this article? Email a.higham@newsweek.com