Food Security and Nutrition Programs
Last Updated: April 7, 2025
SNAP block grant proposal threatens to reduce benefits long-term.
WIC program underfunded, leading to potential service caps.
School meal expansion grants and the Farmers to Families Food Box Program ended.
Grants being cut or changed
The Trump administration is proposing large cuts to food security programs. The most significant change involves shifting control of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to a block grant model, giving states a fixed amount of funding regardless of demand. If approved, this change could drastically reduce SNAP benefits over time, especially during recessions or disasters. Smaller USDA nutrition grants—like those supporting local food banks and nutrition education—are also being cut. Some school meal grants are being restructured and delayed.
Eliminations or restructuring
The USDA has proposed eliminating a series of pandemic-era grants that supported school meal expansions, food distribution to low-income seniors, and farmers market programs. One such program, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, has already been dismantled. Additionally, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program has not received a needed funding boost, meaning that states may have to cap enrollment or reduce services.
On hold or court challenges
The proposed SNAP block grant model is facing legal review, and advocacy groups have filed suit claiming it violates federal statutes. There’s also a fight in Congress, where multiple lawmakers from rural states argue that the cuts would disproportionately affect low-income communities, including those in Appalachia and the Deep South.
Timeline
SNAP and WIC funding changes are tied to the federal fiscal year and would begin in October 2025 if approved. Some food bank and nutrition assistance grants have already stopped accepting new applications as of March 2025, and FY2024 funds are running out. Court decisions on the SNAP restructure are expected by summer 2025.
State-level impact
Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia have among the highest SNAP usage rates per capita in the country. A shift to block grants could mean thousands lose benefits or receive lower amounts. Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina would also see major drops in available nutrition education and food access funding. South Carolina’s farm-to-school and local produce incentive programs are also at risk if USDA community grants are cut.
Sources
USDA. (2025, March 5). Budget proposal summary: Nutrition and food access. https://www.usda.gov/media/budget-summary-2025-nutrition
NPR. (2025, March 18). SNAP block grant model raises alarms in rural states. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/snap-block-grants-concerns
Food Research & Action Center. (2025, March 25). Analysis of proposed WIC and SNAP changes. https://frac.org/news/march-2025-wic-snap-analysis
Associated Press. (2025, April 1). Legal challenges mount to SNAP restructuring. https://apnews.com/article/snap-block-grants-legal-challenge
