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Design Issues in USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Looking Ahead by Looking Back

Author

Listed:
  • Oliveira, Victor
  • Prell, Mark
  • Tiehen, Laura
  • Smallwood, David

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—formerly, the Food Stamp Program—provides low-income participants with electronic benefits that are used like debit cards to purchase eligible food items in authorized retail food stores. Over the program’s long history, policymakers have implemented numerous changes in program design in response to the political, economic, and budgetary environment. Even though SNAP is a mature program, a number of issues continue to arise, such as whether to change SNAP to a block grant program, what types of foods program benefits should cover, and whether benefit amounts and program accessibility are adequate. This report examines the evolution of SNAP—highlighting the effects on the program of major policy and economic changes—to shed light on why the program takes its current form. The report also examines several current issues—each of which has been raised multiple times in the past—and identifies tradeoffs between various program design features. By providing historical and analytical perspective on major program design issues, this report looks ahead by looking back.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliveira, Victor & Prell, Mark & Tiehen, Laura & Smallwood, David, 2018. "Design Issues in USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Looking Ahead by Looking Back," Economic Research Report 276253, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uersrr:276253
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.276253
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Elina T Page & Elizabeth Larimore & John A Kirlin & Mark Denbaly, 2019. "The National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey: Innovations and Research Insights," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(2), pages 215-234, June.
    3. Katare, Bhagyashree & Binkley, James K. & Chen, Kaiyan, 2021. "Nutrition and diet quality of food at home by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) status," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    4. Leanne Giordono & David W. Rothwell & Stephanie Grutzmacher & Mark Edwards, 2022. "Understanding SNAP use patterns among older adults," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(2), pages 609-634, June.
    5. Stacy, Brian & Tiehen, Laura & Marquardt, David, 2018. "Using a Policy Index To Capture Trends and Differences in State Administration of USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program," Economic Research Report 276250, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    6. Leschewski, Andrea M. & Weatherspoon, Dave D., 2018. "The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Current Restricted Expenditures," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 273846, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Andrew Burwick & Diane Paulsell, "undated". "Nutrition Supports for Families with Young Children: An Equity-Focused Policy Research Agenda," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 2fd46f76aaca4aa6a9e127f13, Mathematica Policy Research.

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