On October 22, Gov. Tony Evers called upon the Trump Administration to take immediate action to prevent nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites from losing access to food assistance through the state’s FoodShare program as the federal government shutdown continues.
With federal funds set to run out in just nine days, Evers sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the agency to use existing authority under federal law to extend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits into November. The USDA has previously used similar authority to sustain other nutrition programs during funding lapses, such as the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, FoodShare is entirely funded by the federal government. The Trump Administration recently informed states that there would be insufficient funds to pay full November benefits for approximately nationwide and directed states to delay processing payments. Evers warned that failing to act would leave families, veterans, seniors, and children across Wisconsin without access to essential groceries. He called on USDA to use all available administrative tools to ensure continuity of benefits and maintain food security during the shutdown. The governor also encouraged residents to contact their congressional representatives to urge an end to the shutdown and protect critical programs like FoodShare.