In Oregon, food pantries prepare for delay in SNAP benefits

Earlier this month, the Trump Administration said it will not tap emergency dollars to keep funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program flowing during the government shutdown.

On Tuesday, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced that Oregon had joined a coalition of more than 20 states, including Washington, suing the Trump Administration for suspending the federal food assistance program. Organizations that provide groceries and other services have already faced an increased strain in resources due to inflation and funding cuts. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency that funds SNAP, announced it will no longer release an annual household food security survey which researchers use to measure hunger in the U.S.

Krista Harper is the development director for Clackamas Service Center. Mark Edwards is a professor of sociology and director of the Oregon State University Policy Analysis Lab. They join us for more details about how recent federal actions affect Oregonians who rely on SNAP benefits.