MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama families who rely on food aid are bracing for possible interruptions in November as the federal government shutdown enters its fourth week, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture warning that funding for SNAP and WIC may soon run out.
The USDA said Friday it cannot use its $6 billion contingency reserve to cover November benefits because Congress has not authorized new spending. That decision puts roughly 42 million Americans, including more than 800,000 Alabama residents, at risk of losing access to monthly food assistance if no deal is reached before Nov. 1, according to CNN and ABC News.
October benefits for both SNAP and the Women, Infants and Children program were paid as scheduled, but Alabama’s Department of Human Resources said it could not confirm whether families will receive benefits for November. The state agency directed residents to continue using current EBT balances, as new deposits are not guaranteed.
The Trump administration earlier this month used $300 million in tariff revenue to keep WIC operations funded through late October. That short-term fix provided a temporary cushion but is expected to run out within days, according to the Associated Press and the National WIC Association. Without new appropriations, state WIC programs may begin suspending benefits or closing clinics in early November.
The government shutdown began Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass a spending bill, leaving key agencies, including the USDA, without operating funds. While essential programs like SNAP are typically protected from short disruptions, a prolonged closure has exhausted available reserves. Federal memos note that no additional payments can legally be issued once existing funds are depleted.
Across the country, several states — including Texas, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota — have already warned residents that food benefits will not be issued in November unless Congress acts this week. In Alabama, grocers have been advised to keep EBT systems operational but prepare for processing delays if payments stop.
For many low-income households, SNAP provides the only consistent means to afford groceries, averaging about $188 per person each month in Alabama. With the shutdown unresolved and reserves nearly gone, families could see those benefits vanish as early as next week.