WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WFHR / WIRI) – SNAP benefit cuts could be coming to Wisconsin.

United States senators are working to pass the federal budget reconciliation bill before the 4th of July holiday. It contains possible cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Those potential cuts are around $211 billion dollars.

Wisconsin as a Whole

In Wisconsin SNAP is called Food Share. Jackie Anderson is the Executive Director of Feeding Wisconsin which is the state association of food banks. Feeding Wisconsin sources, warehouses, and provides food to more than 750 affiliated agencies and 1,000 local food programs throughout the state. They support the six food banks throughout Wisconsin to help them raise statewide food and funds.

Anderson said the important thing to keep in focus in Wisconsin are the number of people who will be affected by these cuts. “In Wisconsin there’s about 705,000 people who participate in the SNAP program, of which, 270,000 are children, and 108,000 are seniors. So that means, the most vulnerable folks are going to be impacted by these SNAP cuts.” Anderson stated.

Wood County Specific

Let’s bring the numbers closer to home. In Wood County, about 1,300 people will lose their Food Share benefits. But the impact is larger than just those who receive the benefit. Anderson said the economic impacts must also be considered as this will be a $3.4 million dollar loss to the economy in Wood County. Grocery stores will suffer because people who usually spend their SNAP benefits there won’t be able to. Anderson said Farmer’s Markets and even local chain stores like Walmart and Target will be impacted.

Funding Already Cut

Some federal funding has already been cut. Three of the six Feeding America food banks lost 30 percent of federal emergency food and will now have to purchase that on their own. With the increased tariffs on steel, food banks will have to spend more on canned goods.

Another Federal Funding stream that has been cut will hurt our local farmers. It’s called LFPA or Local Food Purchasing Agreement. It helped farmers buy seed and purchase equipment to produce food. Anderson said, “About 254 pantries benefited from that program alone and they received about $4.2 million dollars of food from the local farmers to go directly to their pantries.” These cuts were unexpected and food banks are already scrambling.

Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill

Legislators in Washington D.C. are pushing to pass the Trump omnibus bill by the self-imposed deadline of July 4. Anderson said the important thing to remember is that we will get through this, even if the bill passes and SNAP benefit cuts happen in Wisconsin. She said, “It’s going to be really really difficult, but it takes everybody talking about this.” Creating the human side of these cuts and changes to eligibility requirements is essential, Anderson shared.

Local Resources

There are several places to find food resources in central Wisconsin.

United Way of South Wood and Adams Counties
FOCUS
Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin
Ruby’s Pantry

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