March 21, 2018
U.S. Department of Agriculture officials are soliciting innovative ideas to help able-bodied adults who receive federal support for food purchases become employed and self-sufficient.
The public is invited to submit suggestions about improvements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and related services. USDA leaders intend to use these ideas so they can help SNAP participants transition to productive, independent lives.
“Long-term dependency has never been part of the American dream,” said Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “USDA’s goal is to move individuals and families from SNAP back to the workforce as the best long-term solution to poverty.
“The SNAP safety net must be there for those unable to work due to disability or another legitimate reason,” Perdue added. “But for the able-bodied, we must reduce barriers to work, and hold both individuals and states accountable for participants getting and keeping jobs.”
Suggestions for improving SNAP can be submitted at federalregister.gov. The deadline for submissions is April 9. For more information, visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/pressrelease/2018/004118.
(Photo courtesy of Peggy Greb, USDA/ARS)