SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is funded through the Farm bill: a key piece of legislation that allocates funds to programs that advance the interests of  farmers, conservation, nutrition, rural development, and more.

In November 2023 New Mexico was allotted just over 82 million dollars to fund SNAP for the month-long period. These benefits went to 333,000 homes. Farm bills have steadily increased the funding for this program every four years when the bill is up for reevaluation yet, it is still not enough. When looking at these numbers it can seem like these programs are fully funded. Yet, in Bernalillo County (most populous county in New Mexico) the number of food insecure people is high and of this number a significant amount are unable to access SNAP funds due to too high of income, too many assets, or various other reasons.

In November 2023 New Mexico was allotted just over 82 million dollars to fund SNAP for the month-long period. These benefits went to 333,000 homes. Farm bills have steadily increased the funding for this program every four years when the bill is up for reevaluation yet, it is still not enough. When looking at these numbers it can seem like these programs are fully funded. Yet, in Bernalillo County (most populous county in New Mexico) the number of food insecure people is high and of this number a significant amount are unable to access SNAP funds due to too high of income, too many assets, or various other reasons.

Benefits for people that qualify need to be expanded and the bar for qualifying needs to be lowered. Currently for a New Mexico family of four the Net household income must be at or below $2500 a month to qualify. Some people are possibly eligible even if they make more but they will receive less in benefits. These numbers are updated on a yearly basis, in October of every year the allotments are decided and will be reevaluated the following year. Along with benefits not always meeting what people need it can take a significant amount of time waiting for your application to be processed and receive your benefits.

But how is this number decided? Through the Thrifty Food Budget which looks at the cost of food and then decides how much money people should be spending on food for various age ranges and genders (with only male and female included). This will then give an estimated weekly budget for a family of four with a male and female between 20-60 and two children, one between 6-8 and the other between 9-11. This number for January 2024 came out to be $225.2 a week or $975.9 a month. This budget is made to be the lowest amount that a family could spend on food yet for this same family of four the maximum amount that would be allocated to them is $973 a month. Leaving them lacking $2.90 for that month if everything goes as planned. Meaning that if you buy all your food at once and something spoils you do not have  more money from SNAP to help this. As well, none of this money can go to prepared food so people are then forced to make dinner every night, a task that I know my partner and I struggle to do and many others. You cannot buy a warm rotisserie chicken or a pre-made meal and have SNAP cover this. Meaning that the act of making food has also now become harder and more time consuming for people relying only on money from SNAP to cover food.

I want to address how New Mexico has helped SNAP work for more families. Most prominently with the double up food bucks which allows people in New Mexico who receive SNAP to when shopping at farmers markets or select stores that source locally such as tiny grocery tiny grocer , the amount that someone can spend is doubled. This helps address the earlier topic of that the amount that people receive for food for a month is not enough so this allows people to essentially have double the amount of money with the caveat that the products are from New Mexico. As well, stores make this much more accessible for people, given that farmers markets typically happen for a set amount of time once a week or less this allows people more access and time to go out and shop for their food with this benefit without having to make a very slim window to go and purchase your groceries. SNAP has done wonderful things to help people and I hope to see more programs like double up food bucks and for the farm bill to expand qualifications to help more people.

-Posted by Kam