Governor Declares Emergency Amid Federal Shutdown Threatening Food Assistance
As the federal government shutdown drags into its second month, Wisconsin’s Governor Tony Evers has taken decisive action to mitigate the impact on residents dependent on food assistance programs. The governor has declared a state of emergency and highlighted a period of “abnormal economic disruption” due to concerns over the potential halt of FoodShare benefits.
According to Governor Evers’ order, state agencies have been instructed to implement “any and all necessary and appropriate measures” to counteract the possible interruption of FoodShare. The directive also compels these agencies to override any administrative rules that might “prevent, hinder, or delay necessary actions to respond to the emergency.” Additionally, the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has been tasked with enforcing measures against price gouging.
The federal shutdown has placed benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as FoodShare in Wisconsin, at risk for millions across the country, including approximately 700,000 Wisconsinites. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last month that SNAP benefits would be paused starting November 1, marking a departure from previous shutdown responses where emergency funds were utilized to maintain SNAP payments.
In response, Wisconsin has joined a multistate lawsuit aiming to compel the USDA to continue funding SNAP. This legal effort gained traction when two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to utilize contingency funds for SNAP payments.
Meanwhile, the political stalemate in Washington persists, with no clear resolution in sight. The impasse centers around disagreements between Republicans and Democrats regarding the conditions for ending the shutdown. Democrats are advocating for an extension of enhanced tax credits for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, while Republicans argue these subsidies, initially enacted under President Biden and extended in 2022, were intended as temporary measures.
With the federal government shouldering the entire cost of FoodShare benefits, Wisconsin faces challenges in sustaining the program unaided. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau reported that in 2023, Wisconsin residents received approximately $1.5 billion in FoodShare benefits.
The looming threat of a SNAP benefit pause has led to increased demand at food banks, which are struggling to bridge the gap. While food charities play a crucial role, they typically provide only a fraction of what SNAP covers, highlighting the critical nature of the ongoing federal support.
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