10.0% of Tennessee Residents Receive SNAP Benefits, Below U.S. Average

A new study on behalf of Trace One has identified the U.S. states with the highest SNAP participation rates. For decades, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been one of the most significant social welfare programs in the United States, helping millions of Americans afford basic nutrition. As a federally funded program, SNAP has been a focal point of debate for both major political parties, often framed as either a critical tool in reducing poverty and food insecurity or a costly government expense in need of reform. Unlike many partisan issues, however, changes to SNAP have not always followed clear party lines. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have expanded and contracted the program at different times, reflecting a complex balance between fiscal and social responsibility. In the 1980s, the Reagan administration implemented cuts to food assistance programs as part of broader efforts to reduce federal spending, while the Clinton administration in the 1990s enacted welfare reform that imposed stricter work requirements for SNAP recipients. On the other hand, the George W. Bush administration expanded access to SNAP, and during the Great Recession, the Obama administration significantly increased benefits. More recently, the current Trump administration and Republican lawmakers have signaled...