Copyright Baton Rouge Advocate
WASHINGTON – Some Louisiana SNAP recipients had money removed from their cards this week, but the Louisiana Department of Health announced Wednesday that all beneficiaries would receive at least some food stamps, furloughed staffers would return to work and offices would be reopened immediately. The hiccup shows the chaos caused by the federal government shutdown and shifting Trump administration guidance on what to do about the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP. “I’m relieved that Louisiana families will begin receiving SNAP benefits again and that our SNAP offices are reopening,” said U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans. “Food security shouldn’t be threatened by political gridlock in Washington — every family deserves stability and dignity.” The federal government on Saturday stopped sending money to the states as the shutdown forbids appropriating new funds. SNAP provides groceries for 42 million low-income Americans, including about 792,769 people in 396,157 households in Louisiana. The program is funded by the federal government but administered by the states. Two federal district judges found Friday that President Donald Trump had both the authority and the money to fund SNAP during the federal government shutdown, which has entered its 36th day. They ordered him to do so. The Trump Administration agreed Monday to use money set aside for food aid during disasters, which would cover about half the roughly $9 billion monthly cost of food stamps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provides the funding for SNAP, issued guidance Tuesday on how the partial payments would be handled since the states would have to calculate who got paid, when and how much. SNAP payments are staggered through the month. At about the same time on Tuesday, President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that SNAP benefits wouldn’t go out. The White House later clarified that partial SNAP benefits would be funded. USDA on SNAP Allotments, Nov. 4, 2025 On Wednesday morning, the administration announced that payments would start being processed Thursday. Gov. Jeff Landry and the Louisiana Legislature had set aside money to cover when the federal government would not. The state spent about $11 million to fund food stamps for the elderly and disabled, about 200,000 recipients. After the federal government announced the November benefits would soon be issued, state officials paused the state-funded benefits while the federal benefits situation was sorted out. The federal money was for the entire SNAP population, including able-bodied adults without children, who were left out of the state’s temporary appropriation. States had to recalculate benefits that accounted for USDA determinations and Louisiana began retracting some of the benefits that had been issued. That caused questions and criticisms to swirl on social media, as some recipients posted screenshots showing the money leaving their accounts. The Louisiana Department of Health on Wednesday afternoon released a statement explaining that all SNAP recipients will receive approximately 50% of their usual food stamp benefits, depending on household size, which will be sent on their usual distribution day. “Those who received state-funded emergency SNAP assistance on November 1-4, specifically the elderly and individuals with disabilities, will also receive federal benefits on November 7,” the LDH statement said. Also, any unused federal SNAP benefits would remain on the Electronic Benefits Transfer cards and could be used. Eligible SNAP recipients do not need to take action to receive SNAP benefits, according to the state Health Department. However, SNAP recipients must continue to meet all program requirements on time to continue their federal SNAP eligibility. The USDA also announced it would provide funding to cover state administrative expenses. As a result, the Department ended furloughs for all SNAP employees and reopened all SNAP offices, effective Wednesday. LDH and the Louisiana Workforce Commission, which administer the food stamps the federal government pays, had furloughed about 1,100 state employees who work on SNAP and receive half their pay from the federal government.
