Monthly SNAP benefits to jump more than 25%, largest in food stamp history: What to know

More food benefits, approved by the Biden administration, are headed to Michigan individuals receiving monthly food assistance.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)  announced it has revised nutrition guidelines for the Thrifty Food Plan, or TFP, and will boost the average pre-pandemic amount of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly known as food stamps, families receive. 

The increases are for the 2022 fiscal year, which  starts Oct. 1.  The average monthly benefit, the USDA says, will increase by $36 per person, or about $1.20 a day. Reevaluating the TFP found that the cost of a nutritious, practical, cost-effective diet is 21% higher than the current TFP. 

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“A modernized Thrifty Food Plan is more than a commitment to good nutrition — it’s an investment in our nation’s health, economy, and security,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “Ensuring low-income families have access to a healthy diet helps prevent disease, supports children in the classroom, reduces health care costs and more. And the additional money families will spend on groceries helps grow the food economy, creating thousands of new jobs along the way.”

The program provides benefits to more than 42 million Americans, or 1 in 8, who receive assistance to add more to their grocery carts. In Michigan, more than 1.3 million people receive food assistance benefits.

What hunger looks like in Michigan

In Michigan, more than 1.2 million people are facing hunger, according to Feeding America. Of those, more than 300,00 are children.

Changes to the plan come  as advocates and researchers said families struggle to get enough food at current, pre-pandemic, SNAP benefit levels.

“To set SNAP families up for success, we need a Thrifty Food Plan that supports current dietary guidance on a budget,” Stacy Dean, deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, said in a news release.

Additional monthly SNAP benefits are provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Extended by the American Rescue Plan Act, the additional 15% in benefits recipients currently receive is set to expire on Sept. 30. 

Up until now, Michigan families received nearly $2 billion yearly in benefits. With the Oct. 1 increase, that amount jumps to $2.5 billion.

It's the first time in 45 years that instead of being cost-neutral, the plan determined cost by first evaluating the foods and beverages that make up a healthy diet and what they cost. 

Most of those who receive benefits say the cost of foods for a healthy diet is a barrier. And nearly three-fourths of benefits are exhausted by the middle of the month, according to the USDA.

Here's how the TFP works:

What is the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP)?

It's one component that goes into the basis for SNAP benefits. The USDA develops four food plans that estimate the cost of a nutritious diet across various price points: The Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost and Liberal Food Plans. The TFP is the lowest cost of the four and represents the cost to purchase nutritious groceries for a family of four: two adults and two children. It's designed to reflect the cost of a "practical, nutritious, budget-conscious diet" at home.

What is TFP based on? 

Four factors: What groceries cost, nutrients in food, what a nutritious diet looks like and what Americans actually eat.  It's the basis for the SNAP maximum benefits. 

What foods are considered? 

Food categories include dark green vegetables, whole fruit and poultry. It also includes more fish, and red and orange vegetables. Those foods amount to what's considered a "practical, cost-effective diet that meets dietary guidance." The plan also reflects data from the current 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

Why was the program revised?

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, the USDA was directed to reevaluate the TFP, last updated in 2006, no later than 2022. The TFP was first introduced in 1975 and updated three times. Under the farm bill, the TFP will now be reevaluated every five years. 

Source: usda.gov.

Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Sue Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.

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