Food Stamp Program / SNAP (United States, 1961–present)

1. First SNAP-era food stamp pilot begins

   May 29, 1961Labels: Kennedy administration, McDowell County, Food Stamp

   • USDA FNS
   • Byrd Center

2. Food Stamp Act makes program permanent

   Aug 31, 1964Labels: Food Stamp, Lyndon B, Federal-state program

   • Congress gov
   • USDA Blog

3. 1971 amendments set national eligibility standards

   Jan 11, 1971Labels: 1971 amendments, national standards, work registration

   • USDA FNS
   • Minneapolis Fed

4. 1973 law requires nationwide availability by 1974

   Aug 10, 1973Labels: 1973 law, nationwide expansion, disaster eligibility

   • USDA FNS
   • Congress CRS

5. Federal government expands cost-sharing for administration

   Jul 12, 1974Labels: 1974 law, federal cost-sharing, state administration

   • USDA FNS
   • USDA LegHist

6. 1977 reforms eliminate the purchase requirement

   Sep 29, 1977Labels: Food and, purchase requirement, farm bill

   • USDA FNS
   • CBPP

7. Budget law reduces SNAP spending growth

   Aug 13, 1981Labels: Omnibus Budget, federal budget

   • Minneapolis Fed
   • Congress gov

8. Law authorizes pilots for electronic benefit delivery

   Sep 19, 1988Labels: Hunger Prevention, electronic pilots, benefit delivery

   • USDA FNS
   • Congress gov

9. 1996 welfare reform adds ABAWD time limit rule

   Aug 22, 1996Labels: PRWORA 1996, ABAWD rule, welfare reform

   • Congress CRS
   • Congress gov

10. EBT portability law sets national standards

    Feb 11, 2000Labels: EBT portability, national standards, electronic systems

    • Congress gov
    • USDA FNS

11. Farm bill renames Food Stamps to SNAP

    Oct 1, 2008Labels: Food Conservation, SNAP rename, farm bill

    • USDA FNS
    • USDA LegHist

12. Recovery Act boosts SNAP benefits during recession

    Apr 1, 2009Labels: American Recovery, ARRA 2009, Great Recession

    • CBPP
    • USDA Blog

13. 2014 farm bill changes retailer participation rules

    Feb 7, 2014Labels: Agricultural Act, retailer rules, EBT equipment

    • USDA FNS
    • Congress CRS

14. 2018 farm bill reauthorizes SNAP with minor changes

    Dec 20, 2018Labels: Agriculture Improvement, SNAP reauthorization, farm bill

    • USDA FNS
    • USDA ERS

15. COVID-19 law creates SNAP emergency allotments

    Mar 18, 2020Labels: Families First, emergency allotments, COVID-19 policy

    • USDA FNS
    • Congress gov

16. Temporary 15% SNAP benefit boost takes effect

    Jan 1, 2021Labels: COVID relief, temporary boost, Thrifty Food

    • USDA FNS
    • Nebraska DHHS

17. USDA updates Thrifty Food Plan, raising benefits

    Oct 1, 2021Labels: USDA update, Thrifty Food, benefit recalculation

    • USDA Press
    • USDA FNS

18. Pandemic emergency allotments end nationwide

    Feb 28, 2023Labels: 2023 appropriations, emergency allotments, program rollback

    • USDA FNS
    • Mass gov