President Trump has added work requirements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Democrats are going absolutely ballistic about it, freaking out over the idea that those who are on the public dole should have to at least show that they are trying to find work and get off of it. The USDA has sped that process up, implementing the drastic changes this fall.
As background, the changes to SNAP were passed into law in July of this year with the Big, Beautiful Bill, which enacted a massive $1 trillion in cuts to welfare programs like SNAP and Medicaid, primarily by adding work requirements to those who want to access the programs. The cuts and work requirements were planned to be rolled out in early 2026.
However, the USDA, which oversees SNAP, has decided to deliver another big win for taxpayers by rolling out the changes earlier than expected: back on October 3, it revealed that it would be terminating the waivers used by states like New York to suspend work requirements.
Now, with those waivers repealed for most states, recipients of SNAP are limited to three months over a rolling three-year period unless they show that they are working, volunteering, or studying in school for at least 80 hours each month. The change was rolled out in November.
Commenting on the USDA changes to food stamps, the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) noted that the Trump Administration and Congress had eliminated “the long-standing option for states to receive waivers based on a ‘lack of sufficient jobs,’ a provision that many states relied on for nearly three decades to protect residents in areas with limited employment opportunities. Under the new law, an area now qualifies for a waiver only if its unemployment rate exceeds 10 percent.”
Continuing, and describing how the new lack of waivers will work and come into effect, it noted that the end of the waivers began in early November, saying, “Many states had waivers in place because certain areas lacked sufficient jobs, and they sought to protect vulnerable residents from losing essential food assistance. States planned their operations and budgets around these waivers. However, USDA is now abruptly rescinding even those waivers that were approved through next year. As a result, the remaining waivers in about 20 states will end on November 2, 2025.”
Then, describing how the clock is ticking and the situation will really come into effect in March of 2026, FRAC explained, “Under the ‘for the full benefit month’ rule in 7 CFR 273.24(b)(1), the time clock for the three-month limit does not begin until the first full month after the waiver ends. This means the countable months will be December, January, and February, with affected individuals potentially losing benefits in March.”
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Those who show that they are looking for work, or are working, studying, or training for the required 80 hours a month are still eligible to receive food stamps, so it is only those who do not try to better themselves who will face the wrath of the administration and see an end to their food stamps.
One other major change is that, moving forward starting in just a few years, states will be having to foot some of the bill for SNAP. FRAC noted, “Starting in fiscal year 2028, states will also be required to share the cost of SNAP benefits, facing penalties up to 15 percent for higher error rates.”
Watch Ayanna Pressley freak out over the work requirements here: