Minnesota to correct SNAP payout overcount
The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families said Friday it mistakenly included and double‑counted Pandemic EBT in federal FNS‑46 reports, inflating reported SNAP payouts from about $725 million in 2020 to roughly $1.9 billion in 2021. The agency said the reporting errors did not reflect improper payments and it will submit corrected figures to USDA after the federal shutdown ends; the correct totals are not yet known.
Local Government
Business & Economy
📌 Key Facts
- Federal data show Minnesota SNAP payouts appeared to jump ~174% from ~$725M (2020) to ~$1.9B (2021), remained near $2B in 2022, then fell by ~$400M in 2023
- DCYF: Pandemic EBT was mistakenly included and double-counted on two lines of the FNS‑46 report during early COVID
- State will revise reports with USDA when the shutdown ends; errors reflect reporting, not erroneous disbursements
📚 Contextual Background
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal nutrition assistance program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.
- SNAP benefits are distributed electronically through state Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) systems and vendors.
- 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.