Gov. Landry announces no new SNAP benefits in November due to shutdown

BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Gov. Jeff Landry has announced that SNAP recipients in Louisiana will receive no new benefits on their cards starting Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown.

Any remaining benefits from previous months can still be used, Landry said.

According to USDA statistics, more than 16% of the population of Louisiana receives SNAP benefits. 

“The U.S. Senate is failing to open the federal government in Washington, DC,” Landry said. “SNAP benefits are paid for by the federal government in Washington, and we simply administer the program here in Louisiana. Without the funds we cannot provide the benefits.”

The Louisiana Department of Health, which oversees the SNAP program in Louisiana, will begin notifying recipients this week, based on available information, that November benefits will not be added to their cards until the federal government reopens. In addition, LDH is providing notices which retailers can post in their stores notifying recipients new funds will be unavailable. 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits that help eligible low-income households buy the food they need for good health. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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