Food stamp benefits to 54,000 New Hampshire households are being cut, as a temporary boost from the 2009 stimulus bill expires.
During the recession, the federal government added more than $45 billion to the program nationally. But with that money spent, the nutrition assistance program now called SNAP is being scaled back.
New Hampshire families will receive up to $65 less each month. Terry Smith with the Department of Health and Human Services says that will have broader impact.
“It does pose a strain on a food bank system in New Hampshire that already has difficulty meeting current needs,” says Smith.
DHHS began warning recipients of the reductions back in September.
In Washington, meanwhile, lawmakers are sparring over the Farm Bill and future of SNAP. The GOP-controlled House is looking to cut $40 billion from nutrition programs. The Democratically-held Senate is countering with just $4 billion in reductions.