Food Stamps

PRIOR TO THE 1930s, hunger in the United States was primarily the responsibility of individuals and families. Because of widespread suffering during the Great Depression, coupled with the struggle of farmers to [Page 376]earn income, the federal government began buying excess farm yields for redistribution. However, this effort was marked by inefficiency because distribution was sporadic. Further, inability to process perishable foods meant distributed commodities did not match nutritional needs of recipients. Poorly planned means of distribution from centralized locations caused long lines of recipients waiting for meager provisions, with stigmatizing results.

In 1939, the federal government experimented with food stamps, whereby participants could purchase orange stamps equal to their monthly food expenditures. For every dollar's worth of orange stamps, 50 cents of blue stamps were given to participants. Orange stamps could be used for purchase of food, whereas blue stamps could be used only for surplus commodities set aside by the government. Over the next four years, nearly 20 million Americans residing in more than half the counties in the country participated at some point.

However, from the onset, the program was decried because of inappropriate use of stamps for purchase of unauthorized goods, lack of ability to deliver food to many needy families, and the high cost of food stamps. By the onset of World War II, when demand for farm products rapidly increased, coupled with limited ability of the program to reduce hunger and malnutrition, food stamps were abandoned. The government returned to direct distribution of commodities.

It was not until the early 1960s that the federal government began to experiment again with food stamps for food redistribution. In the pilot programs, food stamps could be used to purchase an array of foods. With success, meaning increased nutritional levels and sales of farm goods in the public market, the program was expanded. By 1964, 40 counties and three urban areas in 22 states had a food stamp program funded by the federal government.

In 1964, the Food Stamp Act established the program still in use today. By the mid-1970s, almost all communities relying on federal funding for food redistribution were mandated to use food stamps. Several important legislative changes occurred during the 1970s. National uniform eligibility regulations were established. Allotments of food stamps were set at 30 percent of household income (a general rule of the economic market in the United States was that food costs a household one-third of its income). The program was eventually expanded by federal mandate to every community in the nation. Under the Food Stamp Act of 1977, the purchase requirement for food stamps was eliminated.

During the 1990s, major changes to the food stamp program were instituted under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). Because of a public backlash against welfare participants, the government sought to reduce the amount of benefits provided to low-income families. Under the PRWORA, work requirements are mandated for eligible adults. Those without children receive only three months of food stamps in a 36-month period if they do not work at least 20 hours per week. Disqualification of applicants is tied to disqualification for other federal aid programs.

...