The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a rule that would make about 6.3 million people in 3.2 million households ineligible for SNAP once it takes full effect in fiscal year 2029, according to the agency’s own estimates, News4JAX reported. About 1.78 million children would also lose automatic eligibility for free school meals.
The rule is a proposal, not a final regulation. Nothing changes for families yet, and the public can comment until Dec. 10.
For a working parent whose paycheck sits just above SNAP’s standard income limit, or an older adult with modest savings, the change could mean losing monthly grocery help the household now relies on.
A Little-Known Eligibility Path Under Review
The proposal targets broad-based categorical eligibility, or BBCE. Under this option, households that receive even a minor service funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), such as an informational brochure or referral, can qualify for SNAP automatically, even if their income or savings exceed the usual federal limits.
As of December 2025, 46 states and territories used BBCE, according to USDA figures. Of those, 37 set gross income limits above the federal standard of 130% of the poverty line, and 41 dropped asset limits entirely. Florida, for example, allows households up to 200% of the poverty line with no asset limit, according to the USDA’s state BBCE chart.
The new rule would allow only TANF «assistance» to confer automatic eligibility. That category mainly covers ongoing cash payments for basic needs, along with some support services that mostly go to families already receiving cash aid. Everyone else would have to qualify under regular SNAP income and asset tests.
The effect would vary by state. Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming do not appear on the USDA’s BBCE chart, so their residents would see little change. States with 200% income limits and no asset test, including Florida, California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, could see larger shifts.
Agency Projections for Food Aid and School Meals
The USDA projects that federal SNAP spending would fall by about $44.65 billion from fiscal 2027 through 2031. States would see a net SNAP spending reduction of about $5.24 billion, but their administrative costs would rise by about $928.5 million, News4JAX reported.
More than 840,000 one- and two-person households receive the $23 minimum monthly benefit only because of BBCE. About 42,000 children could lose Summer EBT grocery benefits starting in summer 2029, and about 5,500 women, infants, and children would lose WIC eligibility.
For school meals, the agency estimates that about 97% of the 1.78 million children who lose automatic eligibility would still qualify through a separate income-based process. About 28,000 children would have to pay full price. The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) has warned that the change could also interfere with the Community Eligibility Provision, which helps schools with many low-income students offer free meals to everyone, Civil Eats reported.
In the proposed rule published for public inspection, the agency argues that Congress created categorical eligibility to reduce paperwork, not to expand who qualifies. It cites a 2012 Government Accountability Office report that found payment errors in 17.2% of BBCE households with incomes above federal limits, compared with 6.7% of other SNAP households. It also points to a Minnesota millionaire who received benefits. «It is irresponsible to Congress and the taxpayer to support regulations that permit this practice,» the rule states.
Critics see it differently. FRAC President Crystal FitzSimons called the proposal «unconscionable,» saying BBCE helps working parents with low wages and residents of high-cost areas qualify for SNAP. Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota, the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, called it «heartless and cruel,» according to Civil Eats.
The first Trump administration proposed a similar change in July 2019, and the Biden administration withdrew it in June 2021. SNAP participation has already fallen by about 5.5 million people under the current administration, a drop Civil Eats attributed to the 2025 tax and spending law and other policy changes.
Food Insecurity and Children’s Health
Food insecurity has been linked to poorer health in children. A Michigan Medicine study in JAMA Network Open found that about 10% of U.S. households with children ages 2 to 17 were food insecure, and it noted that food insecurity has been tied to higher risks of asthma, anemia, developmental delays, and poor mental health, according to Michigan Medicine. The study found associations, not proof that food insecurity causes those conditions.
The households most exposed to this rule include working parents earning modestly above 130% of the poverty line, older adults and people with disabilities who have small savings, and families in high-rent cities where gross income overstates what is left for food. Families of children with chronic illnesses may face added strain, since the same study found those households were more likely to be food insecure.
Steps Families Can Take Before the Deadline
Families currently receiving SNAP should keep using their benefits and complete any renewal notices on time. Losing coverage now because of missed paperwork would be a separate and avoidable problem.
Parents can fill out their school district’s free and reduced-price meal application even if their children now qualify automatically. Having an income-based application on file could protect access if the rule is finalized. Food banks, WIC clinics, and local 211 lines can help families who are struggling now.
Anyone can comment on the proposal through Dec. 10 at Regulations.gov under docket FNA-2026-0661, by email to sm.fn.snappdbrules@usda.gov, or by mail to the SNAP Program Development Division in Beltsville, Maryland. The USDA must consider public comments before it can issue a final rule.
MedicalDaily will report on the comment count, any changes to the proposal, and state estimates of who would be affected.
Key Questions Answered
What does the USDA proposal do? It would limit automatic SNAP eligibility to households receiving TANF «assistance,» mainly ongoing cash aid, and end it for households that receive only minor TANF-funded services.
How many people could lose SNAP? About 6.3 million people in 3.2 million households once the rule fully takes effect in fiscal 2029, the USDA estimates.
Will children lose free school meals? About 1.78 million would lose automatic eligibility, but the USDA estimates that about 97% would still qualify by applying.
Is the rule final? No. It is a proposal open for public comment until Dec. 10, 2026.
How can I comment? Online at Regulations.gov under docket FNA-2026-0661, by email, or by mail to the USDA.
What should SNAP families do now? Keep using benefits, complete renewals on time, and file a school meal application as a backup.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
