Washington, D.C. – The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry, supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plans to permanently increase monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by 27% beginning Oct. 1, 2021.
The increase follows language in the 2018 Farm Bill requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to evaluate and update the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) by 2022. TFP is the basis for calculating monthly SNAP allotments and has not been updated with a major change since 1975.
“Independent community grocers play a critical role in supporting their communities through the public-private partnership of SNAP, which has a positive impact on local economies, as reflected in NGA’s latest economic impact study,” said Molly Pfaffenroth, NGA senior director of government relations. “The Thrifty Food Plan update announced this week is long overdue and is an important step in providing families with greater access to nutritious food.”
The current 15% increase in SNAP benefits that Congress authorized last year as part of a pandemic relief plan will expire on Sept. 30, 2021, the day prior to the onset of the 27% increase.
About NGA
NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
