Florida could lose $1.6B annually in SNAP funds under GOP’s U.S. House budget

A Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) report shows that Florida would likely lose at least $1.6 billion in federal dollars for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and advocates are sounding the alarm.

Unless the Legislature chooses to backfill the loss of federal funds the reductions will force lawmakers either to cut eligibility for the program or reduce benefits if the U.S. House’s proposed reductions become effective.

The Florida Policy Institute (FPI) is  an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing state policies and budgets that improve the economic mobility and quality of life for all Floridians. Florida Impact is a statewide anti-hunger policy organization. The groups issued a joint statement highlighting their concerns with the SNAP proposal as well as proposed Medicaid cuts.

“In Florida, more than 3.2 million people are food insecure, including over 807,000 kids, a number which will increase if the House’s plan to cut federal SNAP funding is enacted,” FPI CEO Sadaf Knight said in a written statement, relying on information from CBPP analyses.

The CBPP is a  nonpartisan research and policy institute that analyze federal budget priorities, with a particular focus on how budget choices affect people with low incomes.

“No child or adult in Florida should have to go hungry. Our congressional delegation should instead focus on improving the SNAP program so more families can put food on the table, and so that more communities can benefit from an economic boost as Floridians spend SNAP at local grocery stores and businesses.”

SNAP benefits have been 100% funded by the federal government. The CBPP reports that more than 2.9 million Floridians participate in SNAP, the average daily benefit at $6.12. 

Additionally, CBPP reports that more than 59% of Florida families participating in SNAP have children, and more than 41% of participating families include seniors or adults with disabilities.

The budget proposal passed by the House Agricultural Committee this week cuts more than $290 billion from SNAP. Specifically, the bill includes a mandate that states pay between 5% and 25% of monthly SNAP benefit costs based on each state’s payment error rate.

Error rates measure  the accuracy of a state’s SNAP program. Error rates measure SNAP overpayments and underpayments.

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Florida’s error rate in 2023 was 12.6%, according to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Under terms of the legislation, the error rate would require Florida to cover 25% of the costs, or $1.6 billion in 2028 alone, the May 13 CBPP analysis shows.

Congress also is considering $625 billion in cuts to Medicaid over the next decade. Many of the reductions would affect the Medicaid expansion population under the federal health care law know as Obamacare. Because Florida never expanded Medicaid to low income childless adults as allowed under the federal law, those provisions wouldn’t affect the state.

But Florida will be affected by a provision Congress is considering that limits provider taxes, which Florida relies on heavily to help fund its Medicaid program.

The combination of the Medicaid and SNAP cuts worries Asheena Moses, outreach and advocacy manager at Florida Impact.

“At Florida Impact, we’ve heard directly from families across the state who depend on Medicaid and SNAP to make ends meet. We’ve also seen how vital these programs are in local economies — supporting small businesses and community food providers who rely on SNAP revenue. Our partnerships with direct service organizations have shown us just how important Medicaid is for families’ health and stability,” Moses said in a statement.

“Any cuts to these programs would disproportionately harm low-income communities, affecting nearly 3 million SNAP participants and close to 4 million Medicaid enrollees — most of whom are hard working families already struggling to get by. These individuals are our neighbors, coworkers, loved ones, and friends. Florida’s future depends on ensuring that all Floridians thrive regardless of their zip code.”