Sec. Rollins defends the proposed SNAP cuts

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins is defending proposed cost-sharing measures. During her more than four hours of testimony before the House Ag Committee yesterday, she said the SNAP program costs hundreds of millions of dollars each day. However, one California lawmaker took issue with the Department’s assessment of those state error rates.

“We spend at the USDA across 16 nutrition programs about $400 million a day on those nutrition programs. That’s just alone by any given number, up to 30% of that is fraud, waste, and abuse. At this time of unemployment, we were 17 million; we’re now at 42 million of people on the SNAP program. So, there is a lot of room to do better, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Error rates among states have been an issue, though. During the Biden Administration, officials said that during 2023, the overpayment rate came in at just over 10 percent for the year. Error rates varied by state, with Alaska coming in the highest at 60 percent. Some states, like South Dakota, had overpayments as low as three percent.

Related Stories
National Pork Producers Council President Rob Brenneman joins us to discuss Prop 12 provisions in the House’s Farm Bill as it heads to the Senate for debate.
Practical changes to retailer stocking standards promote more options all while reducing fraud and abuse in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Kansas Congressman Derek Schmidt joins us to discuss House passage of the Farm Bill, its potential impact on farm profitability and stability, key policy compromises, and the outlook for Senate consideration.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins plans a farm visit in Missouri, hinting at a possible fertilizer relief announcement on RFD-TV earlier this week. USDA also restructures its research infrastructure and launches new food-safety centers.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins hints at new fertilizer plan while trade deals, soybean markets, and farm bill momentum drive ag policy discussion.
A prolonged Iran ceasefire offers limited relief as fertilizer concerns persist, prompting U.S. policy shifts and driving farmers to reconsider crop acreage.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

New U.S. fees on Chinese-owned and built ships took effect overnight, marking the latest escalation in maritime trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
President Trump is expected to press Argentina to take a tougher stance on China in exchange for political and economic support.
Tammi Arender takes us to 3 Board Farm to meet some first-generation farmers who took a leap of faith and, in the process, found a new purpose.
Nick Andersen, Nationwide’s VP of Agribusiness Claims, shares tips for managing weather-related risks in agriculture using their new Hail and Wind Alert Program.
Lewie Pugh, EVP of OOIDA, discusses how lowering the age for commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) to 18 could rejuvenate the trucking labor market.
Founder Venessa Wood joins us now for a sneak peek of Ag Women Connect’s upcoming Red, White & Blue Gala.