(The Center Square) – Food stamp costs in the U.S. still remained at double the cost pre-pandemic in the last month many states offered the COVID-19 supplement.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released food assistance costs for the month of February, which saw a slight decline but still far above pre-COVID spending.
The average monthly benefit per person was $248.48 in February, the lowest cost in the 2023 Fiscal Year which began in October. But was still more than double the cost of $121.21 in February 2020, the last month before many of the states imposed COVID-19 lockdowns in response to the pandemic.
The food stamp costs were $10.58 billion in February, compared to $4.47 billion in February 2020.
There were 32 states and Washington, D.C. that received the extended COVID-19 supplement through February.
For example, in Michigan food assistance was increased by at least $95 more per month due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 stopped the supplements after the issuance of February 2023 benefits, according to the USDA.
