SNAP court fight: USDA to pay partial November benefits; Minnesota warns weeks-long delays and sharper cuts
Federal judges ordered USDA to tap contingency reserves and the department told a court it will use roughly $4.65–$5.5 billion to provide partial November SNAP benefits, a sum too small to cover a full month's allotments. USDA guidance calls for about a 50% cut (with an additional income‑based reduction for households with earnings), and Minnesota officials warn states must recode eligibility systems — a process that could take weeks — meaning benefits for roughly 440,000–452,000 Minnesotans will be delayed and sharply reduced.
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📌 Key Facts
- A partial federal government shutdown began after Congress failed to pass spending measures, placing federal programs including SNAP at risk and prompting state and federal legal actions.
- USDA initially directed states not to transmit files needed to load November SNAP benefits and said it would not reprogram other funds to cover payments, triggering lawsuits from a coalition of states and nonprofits.
- Two federal judges (Massachusetts and Rhode Island) found USDA’s pause on SNAP unlawful, ordered the agency to resume funding, and gave the administration two compliance paths: pay full November benefits by the earlier deadline by tapping additional reserves or provide partial benefits using contingency funds by a slightly later deadline.
- USDA told courts it would use contingency funds (roughly $4.65 billion) to provide partial November SNAP benefits; a full month of SNAP nationally costs about $9 billion, so the contingency fund cannot cover full allotments.
- USDA guidance and memos implementing the contingency payments will reduce allotments — roughly a 50% cut plus an additional income‑based reduction (about 30%) for households with a working member — and require states to recode eligibility systems to apply the new rules.
- Minnesota officials say the new procedures require recoding the state’s eligibility system, which may take weeks (USDA warned in some places it could be 'up to several months'), so November payments in Minnesota will be delayed and initially only partial; EBT reloads themselves can also take 1–2 weeks after authorization.
- Minnesota has roughly 440,000–452,000 SNAP participants and would have received about $70–73 million in November SNAP funds; state WIC and other programs (LIHEAP, Head Start, preschool aid) are also facing shortfalls with WIC funds projected to run into mid/late November without federal action.
- Local aid organizations and food shelves (United Way, Second Harvest Heartland, Catholic Charities, Open Door Pantry, The Food Group) are mobilizing emergency campaigns and increased distributions; some Minnesota counties paused new SNAP approvals and vendors serving multiple states have rejected some October applications because of reimbursement and guidance uncertainties.
📚 Contextual Background
- A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass appropriations bills or a continuing resolution to fund federal agencies, causing many federal services to pause and some employees to be furloughed.
📰 Sources (46)
SNAP benefits delayed with new eligibility rules that may take weeks to implement in Minnesota
New information:
- USDA told states it will use roughly $5B in contingency funds to provide only partial SNAP benefits in November and, per a USDA memo, cut allotments by 50% (with an additional 30% reduction for households with a working member).
- Minnesota DCYF Commissioner Tikki Brown said there is no timeline for payments because new USDA procedures require the state to recode its eligibility system, a process that may take weeks.
- A vendor serving 40 states is rejecting some October SNAP applications due to unclear federal guidance and reimbursement concerns, meaning some Minnesotans who applied in October may find no benefits loaded on their cards.
- Minnesota officials warn thousands could arrive at grocery stores expecting benefits that are not available, despite earlier assurances that October applications would be covered.
SNAP benefits in MN: November payments will delayed and cut 50% or more
New information:
- Minnesota DCYF says November SNAP benefits will be cut by at least 50% statewide, with an additional income-based reduction required by USDA guidance.
- State warns benefits will be delayed while Minnesota recodes its eligibility system to apply the new income-based reduction; DCYF is asking USDA to reconsider and allow a simpler uniform cut.
- Pre–income-based amounts were provided (e.g., 1 person $149; 2 people $273; 3 people $392; 4 people $497; 5 people $591; 6 people $710; 7 people $785; 8 people $894; +$109 per additional person).
- Commissioner Tikki Brown criticized the complexity of USDA’s directive; Minnesota has not received new USDA guidance in response to President Trump’s post claiming benefits won’t be paid.
A defiant Trump vows no SNAP payments until Democrats cave on shutdown
New information:
- Trump posted that SNAP 'will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government,' appearing to contradict prior USDA court filings about partial November payments.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later said the administration is complying with the court order and Trump was referring to future use of contingency funds.
- Plaintiffs (led by the Rhode Island State Council of Churches) filed a motion asking the court to compel full benefits, arguing USDA could legally use a $23B child‑nutrition account.
- Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ordered the government to respond and set a hearing for Thursday afternoon.
- USDA said recalculating partial benefits could take months, missing the court’s Wednesday deadline for partial payments.
SNAP crisis in Minnesota: What families could face next
New information:
- USDA faces a Wednesday deadline this week to issue partial November SNAP payments.
- FOX 9 reports payments will be partial and could run out again later in the month absent further action.
- Local impact details: Second Harvest Heartland is delivering emergency food boxes and ordering more supplies; Catholic Charities in St. Cloud underscores the immediate hardship of even short delays.
- Coverage tied to a Minnesota roundtable organized by Rep. Betty McCollum and AG Keith Ellison; on‑the‑ground reporting from a Minnetonka food shelf.
Trump administration will provide partial SNAP benefits following court orders
New information:
- USDA told a federal court it will use $4.65 billion (not ~$5.5B) in contingency funds to provide partial November SNAP benefits.
- USDA will not transfer money from other child nutrition programs (e.g., school meals) to cover full benefits, citing "unacceptable risk."
- A Rhode Island judge ordered USDA to make at least partial payments; a Massachusetts judge required USDA to report plans by Monday.
- USDA said it would provide states with tables to calculate partial benefits by the end of Monday.
- Minnesota AG Keith Ellison co-led a 24-state (plus D.C.) lawsuit; he and Rep. Betty McCollum criticized the administration in a St. Paul news conference.
- Minnesota averages about 440,000 SNAP recipients monthly, including roughly 180,000 children.
Trump administration to pay partial November SNAP benefits by Wednesday
New information:
- USDA told the court it will use the ~$5.5 billion SNAP contingency fund to pay partial November benefits by the end of Wednesday.
- USDA said it is generating the state-by-state benefit calculation table to authorize states to begin disbursements once issued.
- A full month of SNAP benefits costs about $9 billion, confirming the contingency fund cannot cover the entire month.
Trump administration to pay about half of November SNAP benefits amid shutdown
New information:
- Identifies U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. as the judge who ordered the government to pay at least part of SNAP benefits by Wednesday.
- Details the judge’s two options to the administration: partial benefits via the $4.65B contingency fund by Wednesday or full-month benefits by Monday by tapping other reserves (e.g., child nutrition).
- USDA chose the contingency-fund route and said it would generate state benefit tables on Monday to authorize states to begin disbursements.
- USDA deputy under secretary Patrick A. Penn warned the administrative process could delay payments 'anywhere from a few weeks to up to several months' in some states due to system constraints.
- Includes on-record criticism from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer calling partial benefits insufficient and unlawful.
Trump administration must restart SNAP benefits by Wednesday, judge rules
New information:
- Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued a written TRO stating there is "no question" USDA must use SNAP contingency funds during the shutdown.
- Sets two compliance paths: fund full November benefits (~$9B) by end of Monday or pay out the entire $6B contingency by Wednesday.
- Suggests USDA tap $23B in a state child nutrition fund to cover the gap if choosing full benefits.
- Orders the government to update the court by noon Monday on compliance.
- Notes plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits; quotes Trump’s post and acknowledges his stated willingness to fund SNAP if given legal direction.
- Mentions a separate Boston case finding USDA’s pause illegal, with the administration given until Monday to respond before further action.
SNAP benefits latest: Emergency funding uncertain as shutdown continues
New information:
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration is awaiting court direction on SNAP funding during the shutdown.
- Article says the administration reversed an earlier plan to use USDA’s $5B contingency fund and notes Democrats argue a separate ~$23B fund could be tapped.
- Restates card-loading logistics: even with funding, EBT benefits could be delayed by a week or more.
Trump administration faces a deadline to tell judges whether it will use contingency funds for SNAP
New information:
- Rhode Island Judge John J. McConnell said all previously granted SNAP work-requirement waivers must continue to be honored during the shutdown.
- Article notes USDA terminated existing waivers during the shutdown, which the court order counters.
- Confirms both judges gave the administration leeway to fund SNAP partially or in full for November, with formal updates due Monday.
- Details SNAP financing options: USDA’s $5B contingency fund and an additional cited ~$23B fund that Democratic officials argue could be used.
- Clarifies operational impact: November benefits will be delayed regardless because card loads take up to a week in many states.
- Restates scope and scale: SNAP serves about 1 in 8 Americans and costs roughly $8B per month.
The Trump administration faces a Monday deadline to tell judges if it will fully fund SNAP
New information:
- Judge John J. McConnell’s Saturday order sets execution deadlines: if full payments are made, they must be issued by end of day Monday; if partial payments, by Wednesday.
- Trump said on social media he directed government lawyers to prepare SNAP payments, though the administration has not committed to full vs. partial benefits.
- AP notes USDA had terminated existing work-requirement waivers during the shutdown; McConnell’s order requires all prior waivers to continue being honored.
- Even if approved, November SNAP disbursements will be delayed because EBT card loading can take up to two weeks in some states.
United Way launches relief campaign as federal shutdown pressures Minnesota food shelves
New information:
- Local translation of the federal ruling: Minnesota agencies expect only partial November SNAP benefits with unclear timing pending USDA’s Monday report.
- Twin Cities-specific mobilization: United Way emergency campaign and expanded food shelf operations to bridge potential benefit gaps.
Trump administration blocked from cutting off SNAP benefits as two judges issue orders
New information:
- Massachusetts Judge Indira Talwani ruled USDA’s plan to pause SNAP illegal, finding the agency must use the contingency reserve and other previously appropriated funds.
- Talwani ordered the administration to say by Monday whether it will provide at least partial November benefits while she considers the motion.
- Rhode Island Judge John James McConnell Jr. granted a temporary restraining order requiring USDA to continue SNAP payments, citing arbitrary and capricious action and violation of federal spending laws.
- Minnesota is among 25 states plus D.C. that sued; the rulings come one day before the planned November SNAP cutoff during the shutdown.
Judges could rule on the fate of SNAP food aid as deadline nears for shutdown to end payments
New information:
- At Thursday’s Boston hearing, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani expressed skepticism about halting SNAP and said agencies should find an 'equitable' way to reduce benefits if funds are short.
- Talwani indicated she may require the government to use emergency funds and that any order would apply nationwide; a ruling could come as soon as Friday.
- Government lawyers argued a ~$5B contingency fund cannot legally be used to maintain SNAP; states pointed to an additional ~$23B in another account.
- A second, similar lawsuit from cities and nonprofits is set for a Friday hearing before a Rhode Island‑based federal judge.
- Even if benefits are restored, EBT reloads could be delayed 1–2 weeks into November due to processing timelines.
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said contingency funds would not last long and blamed Senate Democrats for a failed congressional effort to continue SNAP during the shutdown.
Minnesota’s federal workers plead for resolution of government shutdown
New information:
- Minnesota AG Keith Ellison testified that a federal judge is expected to rule soon in the 25-state SNAP lawsuit.
- Minnesota Management and Budget estimates WIC funds in Minnesota will last only through the third week of November; Minnesota receives roughly $9 million per month for WIC.
- State officials testified that USDA removed its shutdown contingency plan from its website, complicating state communications and planning.
Food banks, meal kitchens brace for impact as food benefits set to stop
New information:
- Local providers report an immediate uptick in demand: Catholic Charities Twin Cities now serves 1,000+ meals daily, several hundred above usual.
- Catholic Charities warns it may cap daily meal service for the first time in a long time if need continues to rise.
- The Food Group’s executive director estimates Minnesota’s November SNAP benefits at roughly $70 million and says private aid cannot fill that gap in one month.
- Article notes the presiding federal judge indicated she would rule later Thursday on whether to force the administration to use reserve funds.
- Contextualizes scale in Minnesota: more than 400,000 Minnesotans could lose food benefits Nov. 1 absent federal action.
SNAP benefits ending: What Minnesotans need to know
New information:
- FOX 9 reports SNAP stopped approving new applications earlier this month until the shutdown ends.
- Minnesota participation cited as 451,966 people (7.8% of population) as of May 2025, with national/state comparisons.
- Local impact examples: Open Door Pantry in Eagan expects up to 500 additional families; about 300 food shelves statewide are bracing for increased demand.
- Context figure: Minnesota typically receives about $70 million in federal food assistance when the government is funded.
SNAP deadline: More than 450K Minnesotans could lose benefits on Nov. 1
New information:
- Minnesota-specific caseload: 451,966 SNAP participants as of May 2025 (7.8% of state population), with about half being seniors and children.
- Reiterates the Nov. 1 deadline when November SNAP benefits would not load if the shutdown continues.
- Notes local response: food shelves urge donations; some Minnesota restaurants offering free meals; and authorities warn of scam texts promising $1,000 'emergency relief.'
Judge to consider demand to force the government to keep funding SNAP food aid despite the shutdown
New information:
- A federal hearing before U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston is set for Oct. 30 on a motion to force continued SNAP funding despite the shutdown.
- USDA plans to freeze SNAP payments on Nov. 1, and plaintiffs now number 25 states plus D.C., arguing USDA must use a $5B contingency fund and can tap another ~$23B fund.
- SNAP costs roughly $8B per month; if ordered, EBT card reloading could take 1–2 weeks after a ruling.
- Plaintiffs detail harms to schoolchildren and more than 100,000 retailers, noting added risks around Thanksgiving inventories.
- USDA’s stance reverses a pre-shutdown plan that would have used contingency funds to keep SNAP running.
How the federal shutdown will affect food stamps, heating assistance and more in Minnesota
New information:
- Minnesota would have received $73 million in November SNAP benefits for more than 440,000 residents; those benefits will not load starting Nov. 1 if the shutdown continues.
- Minnesota WIC recently received additional funds but they will run out by mid‑November; WIC serves about 100,000 people and roughly 40% of newborns in the state.
- Shutdown impacts extend to LIHEAP (home heating assistance) and Head Start, which are also set to begin running out of money around Nov. 1.
- Minnesota AG Keith Ellison joined 22 other AGs suing USDA to access an estimated $5 billion contingency fund the department has declined to use.
+ 26 more sources