Missourians who rely on food assistance may not get the full amount they were expecting this month.
On Friday, the Missouri Department of Social Services said it would begin issuing full November SNAP benefit payments by the middle of this week, following updated guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
But later that day, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court ruling that directed full payments. The decision means states, for now, must revert to sending partial payments — 65% of the full allotment.
Missouri DSS spokesperson Chris Moreland said Saturday in an email that the agency "was awaiting further guidance from the USDA based on the recent developments and will comply with their directive."
Updated USDA guidance, also issued Saturday, called for states to "immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November" and to "continue to process and load the partial issuance."
Funding for SNAP — the nation's largest anti-hunger program — ran out earlier this month as the federal government shutdown drags on. About 650,000 Missourians rely on the program.
According to the Missouri Budget Project, the average monthly SNAP benefit in fiscal 2024 was $397 per household.
In Illinois, partial SNAP payments began Friday. As of May, nearly 1.9 million Illinois residents received benefits through the program.
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