By Jasper Ward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Saturday that food benefits under one of the country’s biggest social assistance programs will not be issued next month amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The shutdown is now in its 25th day, with Republicans and Democrats in Congress remaining at an impasse over how to fund and reopen the federal government.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a post on its website. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01.”
More than 41 million depend on the monthly payments, according to the USDA. In some states, like New Mexico, dependence on the program is as high as 21% of residents, it said.
The agency’s announcement came after more than 200 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday called on USDA to draw on its emergency reserves to fund November food benefits.
However, according to a memo seen by Reuters, the department indicated that it would not do so.
Governors in Louisiana and Virginia declared states of emergencies this week to make funds available to help with hunger relief in anticipation of SNAP benefits not being issued next month.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Sonali Paul)
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