An internal memo has revealed that food benefits will not be issued next month in the United States.
The memo, as reported by Reuters, was issued within the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the weekend, and confirmed payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were not going to be issued on the first of the month for November, with no intention of the Department using emergency funds to do so.
SNAP operates by offering reloadable debit cards to low or no-income people, which can be used to buy essential grocery items.
This is a hit to one of the largest, key social benefits programs in the States, with more than 41 million dependent on the program as of July this year, according to the USDA.
Dependence on the program is as high as 21% of residents in some states, including Oregon and New Mexico.
"Bottom line, the well has run dry," the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a notice posted on the home page of its website.
“At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01.”
The payment stoppage comes amidst more than 25 days of federal government shutdown and right after more than 200 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday called on the USDA to use its emergency reserves to fund the food benefits for November.
