Grocery stores worry about Trump's pullback on SNAP (food stamps)

[left-of-center2012]

Grocery retailers around the country have growing concerns about President Trump's plan to reduce food-stamp spending by $130 billion over the next decade, reports the Wall Street Journal. That would amount to a 20% reduction in the program's $63 billion annual budget.

Why it matters: Retailers are already facing stiff competition from grocers like Whole Foods with Amazon's backing. Now, they may lose sales from low-income consumers because of regulation.

More stringent requirements would reduce the number of consumers who are eligible for the food-stamp program.
Rather than receiving benefits on cards, food stamp users would receive benefits in boxes of cereal, beans, canned fruits and other government purchased food through wholesale channels.

Industry concerns:
The food industry operates on a 1% profit margin, Alex Baloga, chief executive of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, told the journal. Any SNAP loss could be devastating to the industry.

The nation's biggest retailers would lose key revenue sources.
SNAP accounted for 52% of total sales in big box stores like Walmart and Target in 2017.

https://www.axios.com/trump-snap-pullback-worries-grocery-stores-61830c25-dfba-4141-a31b-d9bf0a8b83fe.html

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. I would have thought about this a couple years ago.

[elocs]

2. I'm retired, under the 100% federal poverty level, and receive $32/month in food stamps.

It was $39/month in December but because my SS went up $15/month with a cost of living raise they cut me back $7 on food stamps. If it wasn't for my local food pantry and knowing how to cook I'd be in food jeopardy.

This is a great article about food stamps and its benefit to our economy.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/10/food-stamps-statistics-SNAP-economic-benefits/
"When food stamps get spent, we all benefit. Despite critics’ focus on the costs of SNAP, research has shown that these dollars are among the best forms of government stimulus. Food stamp spending generates local economic activity, jobs in the farm and retail sectors and beyond."

[left-of-center2012]

3. I get $25 a month

I'm on S.S.

[smirkymonkey]

4. This is just cruel and stupid.

So they want to give the poor a box of crap food that is barely edible and take away their choice, while eliminating the stimulus of those food dollars going to retail food markets. Yep, makes perfect sense. Anything to punish the poor.

[left-of-center2012]

5. I'm guessing ...

There's money to be made for "friends of Trump" in supplying the boxed food.

[smirkymonkey]

8. You are probably guessing right.

And the people receiving them are on the losing end.

[maxrandb]

7. And they'll expect Amazon

to ship the boxes for free.

Fuck Donnie Short Fingers and everyone that voted for the prick

[gratuitous]

6. In a month, we spend on defense what is spent on SNAP in a year

I know it's really important for the news shows to be devoting all their available time to Donald Trump fucking Stormy Daniels, but maybe we could have a segment or two on what this disparate spending says about us as a society and a country. Maybe the cable channels and networks could have some people on to talk about this other than the usual parade of the Same Old Faces?