Amazon and other US online grocery shops will now accept food stamps for SNAP, a state-administered but federally-funded program for needy families, among fears regarding a significant administrative reshuffle under Donald Trump.
The US Department of Agriculture launched a two-year pilot project to test how SNAP food stamps, a quasi-currency issued by the US government to support those in dire need, will perform in online grocery stores, including Amazon and FreshDirect. The pilot program will take place in seven states, both in urban and rural areas.
“Online purchasing is a potential lifeline for SNAP participants living in urban neighborhoods and rural communities where access to healthy food choices can be limited,” Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a release.
According to the release, the USDA will also evaluate whether local or national services work better for SNAP families, as well as testing various payment methods. The pilot program comes amid fears that the incoming presidential administration will order a major overhaul of SNAP, splitting the $74-billion federal program into so-called block grants, state-managed fixed allotments of annual funding, that could be optimized toward specific needs….more here