How Many People Around You Receive Food Stamps?

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

Here is the official government list. It looks like you can buy just about any food item that is not hot and eaten on premises. Steak, king crab legs, and Doritos are OK.

Eligible Food Items

Households CAN use SNAP benefits to buy:
   Foods for the household to eat, such as:
     --    breads and cereals;
     --    fruits and vegetables;
     --    meats, fish and poultry; and
     --    dairy products.
   

Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat.

In some areas, restaurants can be authorized to accept SNAP benefits from qualified homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.

Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:
   Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco;
   

Any nonfood items, such as:
     --    pet foods;
     --    soaps, paper products; and
     --    household supplies.
   

Vitamins and medicines.
   

Food that will be eaten in the store.
   

Hot foods.

Additional Information

“Junk Food” & Luxury Items
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) defines eligible food as any food or food product for home consumption and also includes seeds and plants which produce food for consumption by SNAP households. The Act precludes the following items from being purchased with SNAP benefits:  alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, hot food and any food sold for on-premises consumption. Nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, medicines and vitamins, household supplies, grooming items, and cosmetics, also are ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.
 
   Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream are food items and are therefore eligible items
   

Seafood, steak, and bakery cakes are also food items and are therefore eligible items
     

Since the current definition of food is a specific part of the Act, any change to this definition would require action by a member of Congress. Several times in the history of SNAP, Congress had considered placing limits on the types of food that could be purchased with program benefits. However, they concluded that designating foods as luxury or non-nutritious would be administratively costly and burdensome. Further detailed information about the challenges of restricting the use of SNAP benefits can be found here:

Report -- Implications of Restricting the use of
              Food Stamp Benefits 

Energy Drinks
When considering the eligibility of energy drinks, and other branded products, the primary determinant is the type of product label chosen by the manufacturer to conform to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines:
 
   Energy drinks that have a nutrition facts label are eligible foods
   

Energy drinks that have a supplement facts label are classified by the FDA as supplements, and are therefore not eligible

Live Animals
Live animals may not be purchased with SNAP benefits.

[sys]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25415501

[star seed 7]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25415501

oh boy, K-S-U is going to have an aneurysm after reading that.

[kim carnes]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25415501

Oh man, that would be great.  I hope they do it so we can all laugh.

[puniraptor]

It will probably work well for them.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25415501

oh boy, K-S-U is going to have an aneurysm after reading that.

The Swiss are voting to expand their welfare state? Why would I care?

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

This would be a fantastic experiment. From one of the most productive societies to the most unproductive in a matter of one generation.

[kim carnes]

This would be a fantastic experiment. From one of the most productive societies to the most unproductive in a matter of one generation.

Their society isn't productive.

[michigancat]

will the right still want their gun laws if this passes?

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

This would be a fantastic experiment. From one of the most productive societies to the most unproductive in a matter of one generation.

Their society isn't productive.

yes it is.

[Emo EMAW]

This would be a fantastic experiment. From one of the most productive societies to the most unproductive in a matter of one generation.

Their society isn't productive.

yes it is.

No, it's not.

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

This would be a fantastic experiment. From one of the most productive societies to the most unproductive in a matter of one generation.

Their society isn't productive.

yes it is.

No, it's not.

yes it is.

[Emo EMAW]

This would be a fantastic experiment. From one of the most productive societies to the most unproductive in a matter of one generation.

Their society isn't productive.

yes it is.

No, it's not.

yes it is.

Ok it is.

[star seed 7]

man, when that guy said that working just to get money was basically slavery... what a great philosophy to live by.   

[sys]

man, when that guy said that working just to get money was basically slavery... what a great philosophy to live by.   

fantastic quote.

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

man, when that guy said that working just to get money was basically slavery... what a great philosophy to live by.   

Why doesn't he just work for free? Then it would be like welfare when he got his paycheck. Boom, mind blown.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

One small step towards exposing SNAP waste and our bloated entitlement system. http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2014/01/court-rejects-secrecy-for-food-stamp-numbers-182072.html

Get ready for lots of arguments about urban "food deserts" and how it actually makes sense to spend food stamps on McDonalds.

[bubbles4ksu]

i think the governments concerns about fraud are misplaced.

The reason that USDA is concerned with disclosing this information is...this redemption information is reviewed by the agency to look for fraud,” Bengford said. “If all the information as to individual retailers who participate in this program were available by store type and the amount of redemptions that they’re bringing in on a yearly basis that would allow individuals who are participating in fraud to use that information to look for outliers—as far as trying to make a determination where the agency might be setting its threshhold as to where there might be a concern that someone could be participating in fraud.”

i wish we could open up the bigger budget issues to this type of scrutiny.

[Emo EMAW]

i think the governments concerns about fraud are misplaced.

The reason that USDA is concerned with disclosing this information is...this redemption information is reviewed by the agency to look for fraud,” Bengford said. “If all the information as to individual retailers who participate in this program were available by store type and the amount of redemptions that they’re bringing in on a yearly basis that would allow individuals who are participating in fraud to use that information to look for outliers—as far as trying to make a determination where the agency might be setting its threshhold as to where there might be a concern that someone could be participating in fraud.”

i wish we could open up the bigger budget issues to this type of scrutiny.

Wait, we won't release the information because it would allow companies to find fraud?

[Rage Against the McKee]

i think the governments concerns about fraud are misplaced.

The reason that USDA is concerned with disclosing this information is...this redemption information is reviewed by the agency to look for fraud,” Bengford said. “If all the information as to individual retailers who participate in this program were available by store type and the amount of redemptions that they’re bringing in on a yearly basis that would allow individuals who are participating in fraud to use that information to look for outliers—as far as trying to make a determination where the agency might be setting its threshhold as to where there might be a concern that someone could be participating in fraud.”

i wish we could open up the bigger budget issues to this type of scrutiny.

Wait, we won't release the information because it would allow companies to find fraud?

The concern is that it would allow individuals who are currently acting fraudulently to do so more effectively. I think they should just release the numbers.

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

i think the governments concerns about fraud are misplaced.

The reason that USDA is concerned with disclosing this information is...this redemption information is reviewed by the agency to look for fraud,” Bengford said. “If all the information as to individual retailers who participate in this program were available by store type and the amount of redemptions that they’re bringing in on a yearly basis that would allow individuals who are participating in fraud to use that information to look for outliers—as far as trying to make a determination where the agency might be setting its threshhold as to where there might be a concern that someone could be participating in fraud.”

i wish we could open up the bigger budget issues to this type of scrutiny.

Wait, we won't release the information because it would allow companies to find fraud?

The concern is that it would allow individuals who are currently acting fraudulently to do so more effectively. I think they should just release the numbers.

They don't want the public to know what the majority of SNAP money is being spent on, like liquor, cigarettes, fast food, and snacks.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

They don't want the public to know what the majority of SNAP money is being spent on, like liquor, cigarettes, fast food, and snacks.

Unfortunately, I think they're only releasing the percentage by retailer, not what it's actually spent on. But I think we may be surprised (or maybe not) to see how much EBT is being spent at convenience stores and fast food joints, where the food is generally more expensive and less healthy.

That's why I'm sure we'll hear a lot of arguments about "food deserts" (places where grocery stores just don't exist), or how McDonalds is actually cheaper than buying groceries. It would be fun to be a liberal strategist and come up with all kinds of ridiculous excuses. Here's one just off the top of my head: "Well, of course the EBT is being spent on fast food. These people don't have time to shop for groceries and prepare meals because they're too busy looking for work!"

[ednksu]

They don't want the public to know what the majority of SNAP money is being spent on, like liquor, cigarettes, fast food, and snacks.

Unfortunately, I think they're only releasing the percentage by retailer, not what it's actually spent on. But I think we may be surprised (or maybe not) to see how much EBT is being spent at convenience stores and fast food joints, where the food is generally more expensive and less healthy.

That's why I'm sure we'll hear a lot of arguments about "food deserts" (places where grocery stores just don't exist), or how McDonalds is actually cheaper than buying groceries. It would be fun to be a liberal strategist and come up with all kinds of ridiculous excuses. Here's one just off the top of my head: "Well, of course the EBT is being spent on fast food. These people don't have time to shop for groceries and prepare meals because they're too busy looking for work!"

[sys]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/opinion/capitalism-vs-democracy.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0

[sys]

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/02/i-crashed-a-wall-street-secret-society.html