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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

10.551:  Food Stamps

Objectives:  To improve diets of low-income households by increasing their food purchasing ability.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

10.551 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  The State or U.S. Territory agency responsible for federally aided public assistance programs submits requests for funding to USDA's Food and Nutrition Service.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Households may participate if they are found by local welfare officials to be in need of food assistance. Examples include most households who are receiving some form of welfare assistance, or are unemployed, part-time employed, working for low wages, or living on limited pensions. Eligibility is based on family size, income, and level of resources. Able-bodied adults with certain limited exceptions must meet a work requirement.

Credentials/Documentation:  Households are individually certified by local welfare offices based on national eligibility standards, with verification as required by regulation. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

10.551 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372 and OMB Circular No. A-102.

Application Procedure:  The Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended (Public Law 95-113), requires each State agency to submit to the Food and Nutrition Service for approval, a plan of operation specifying the manner in which the Food Stamp Program will be conducted in every political subdivision within the State. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.

Award Procedure:  The Secretary of Agriculture designates each State agency that operates the program upon submission of a request.

Deadlines:  The authority to continue the Food Stamp Program has been extended through September 30, 2002.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Full implementation of the nationwide mandate was completed in fiscal year 1975, except for certain Indian reservations which continued in the Food Distribution Program.

Appeals:  There are no appeals.

Renewals:  Program continues once approved, unless there is a substantial failure to comply with regulations or withdrawal on the part of the State.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Not applicable.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Not applicable.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Varies by income and family size. Averaged $72.28 per month, per person, in fiscal year 1999.

10.551 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 10.550 Food Distribution.

10.551 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

During fiscal year 1999, every area in every State operated a Food Stamp Program. Participation per month averaged 18.19 million persons.

10.551 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE, (DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE )

Type of Assistance:  Direct Payments for Specified Use.

Obligations:  (Direct payments to individuals) FY 99 $16,021,415,869; FY 00 est $16,082,155,000; and FY 01 est $17,338,775,000.

Budget Account Number:  12-3505-0-1-605.

Authorization:  Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, Public Law 95-113, 91 Stat. 958, 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.; Public Law 95-348, Public Law 96-58, Public Law 96- 249, Public Law 97-35; Public Law 97-98; Public Law 97-253, Public Law 98-204, Public Law 98-369; Public Law 99-198, Public Law 99-425; Public Law 99-498, Public Law 99-603, Public Law 100-77, Public Law 100-175, Public Law 100-232, Public Law 100-387, Public Law 100-435, Public Law 100-503, Public Law 100-707, Public Law 101-202; Public Law 101-392; Public Law 101-508; Public Law 101-624; Public Law 102-237; Public Law 102-265; Public Law 102-325; Public Law 103-31; Public Law 103-66; Public Law 103-225; Public Law 103-286; Public Law 103-296; Public Law 104-66; Public Law 104-127; Public Law 104-193; Public Law 104-208; Public Law 105-18; Public Law 105-33; Public Law 105-185; Public Law 105-379.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  7 CFR 271 - 282. Available from the national office and the regional offices: "Facts About the Food Stamp Program, "PA-1340 (English) and PA-1340-S (Spanish); Food Stamp Program - A Guide for Retailers," PA-1221 (English), PA-1221-S (Spanish); "Official Food List," FNS-110 (English), FNS-110-S (Spanish), FNS-110-K (Korean), FNS-110-V (Vietnamese), FNS-110 (English/Chinese), FNS-110-Alaska; "Tips for Cashiers," FNS-136 (English/Spanish), FNS-136-K (English/Korean), FNS-136-V (English/Vietnamese); "USDA Food Assistance" (poster) FNS-200, fns-200-S (Spanish); "USDA Food Assistance" (flyer), FNS-182 (English), FNS-182-S (Spanish); Food Stamp Rights Poster, FNS-183 (English) and FNS-183-S (Spanish); Using Food Stamps Poster, FNS-283 (English) and FNS-283-S (Spanish); Team Nutrition Series of flyers (English/Spanish); "We Accept Food Stamps" (poster), FNS-132; "We Accept Food Stamps" (decal); FNS-1325, "We Accept Food Stamps" (Spanish), (poster and decal); FNS-135 Cash Register Stickers, FNS 135-S (Spanish) Cash Register Stickers.

10.551 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  See the Food and Nutrition Service Regional Offices listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Headquarters Office:  Deputy Administrator, Food Stamp Program, Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA 22302. Contact: Susan Carr Gossman, Deputy Administrator, Food Stamp Program, Phone: (703) 305-2026. Use the same number for FTS. (Home Page)

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

10.551 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  Department of Agriculture pays 100 percent of the cost of benefits to individuals and households. The statistical factors used to set benefit levels are: 1. Cost of the thrifty food plan and the source is the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion; and 2. the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and components of the CPI (national, except for territories outside continental United States) and the source is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI for urban wage earners and clerical workers annually). The statistical factor used for eligibility is nonfarm poverty income guidelines and the source is the Federal poverty guidelines (modified).

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Length of assistance period varies and time phasing is not applicable.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Households receive food stamp benefits which varies according to household size and income. The maximum allotment for a household's size is reduced by 30 percent of the net income. Food stamp benefits may be used in participating retail stores to buy food for home consumption and garden seeds and plants to produce food for personal consumption. In certain remote areas of Alaska, recipients may use food stamp benefits to purchase hunting and fishing equipment (excluding equipment for transportation, clothing and shelter, firearms, ammunition and other explosives), for procurement of food. Food stamp benefits may be used by certain elderly and handicapped persons, and their spouses, who cannot prepare their own meals to have meals delivered to them in their homes by authorized meal delivery services. Elderly and certain disabled persons and their spouses may also use food stamp benefits to purchase meals in establishments providing communal dining for the elderly. Drug addicts and alcoholics who are participating in approved rehabilitation programs may use food stamp benefits to purchase meals prepared by the program. Disabled or blind persons receiving benefits under Titles I, II, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act may use food stamp benefits to purchase meals prepared and served under certain group living arrangements. Residents of shelters for battered women and children may use food stamp benefits to purchase meals prepared by shelters. Homeless persons eligible for food stamp benefits may purchase prepared meals from an authorized establishment approved to feed them. As provided by Public Law 105-18, States have the option to pay the cost of providing food stamps to non-citizens made ineligible for them by welfare reform (Public Law 104-193), and to individuals disqualified by the new work requirement included in welfare reform. As of September 1999, 9 states (California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin) are operating State option programs to provide food stamp benefits to some or all otherwise eligible non-citizens.

10.551 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Annual budget summary statements; monthly report of coupons with a summary of inventory of coupons on hand; monthly and annual quality control reports; quarterly financial status report; quarterly report on claims against households; monthly mail issuance report provided quarterly; monthly issuance reconciliation report; monthly issuance and participation estimates; report of disqualified recipients; and cumulative totals for the fiscal year.

Audits:  Projects are subject to audit by Office of Inspector General, USDA.

Records:  Records of households certified, coupons issued, and records relating to any financial transaction are required and must be maintained for 3 years.