By Melissa Nann Burke, MediaNews Group
Food benefits for 1.4 million Michiganians will be delayed in November due to a lack of sufficient funding during the federal government shutdown, state officials said Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which operates the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, has directed Michigan officials to hold off on issuing November’s SNAP payments and ongoing benefits “until further notice,” according to a statement by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
In the fourth week of the shutdown, the communication from USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to the state said there will be limited funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for 42 million individuals across the U.S. The program covers nearly 13% of households or 1.4 million people in Michigan, 43% of whom are families with children, according to state data.
Elizabeth Hertel, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said she was “strongly disappointed by the USDA’s decision to delay this assistance, and in Michigan, we will do what we can to help blunt this impact.”
“The impact of households losing SNAP benefits will be felt around the state,” Hertel said in a statement.
“SNAP is more than a food assistance program; it’s a lifeline for many Michigan families. It helps families put nutritious food on the table, supports local farmers and grocers, and strengthens our communities and economy.”
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters at the White House last week that the program was on track to run out of funds Nov. 1.
“You’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families, of hungry families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown,” Rollins said.
On social media, the secretary blamed Democrats, saying that they put “their political agenda ahead of food security for American families. Shameful.”
Other states, including Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, and Minnesota, had been warning in recent days that SNAP payments for November were in jeopardy or could be delayed. The program has historically been federally funded, but it’s administered by the states.
Some states have stopped new SNAP enrollments, but Michigan’s human services agency indicated Thursday that the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service has advised that households should continue submitting applications. Officials also said specialists will continue to process SNAP redeterminations and case changes.
It’s unclear how long SNAP payments could be delayed in Michigan. Last year, SNAP brought over $3 billion to the state, with Michigan’s benefits typically issued between the 1st and 21st of the month, depending on the recipient’s Social Security number.
The average SNAP household in Michigan last year got $335 in SNAP benefits a month, or $173 per person per month, or $5.68 per person per day, according to MDHHS. Participants receive benefits on prepaid cards that they can use for groceries.
SNAP does maintain a contingency fund of about $6 billion, but November benefits are expected to total around $8 billion, according to CNN.
Earlier this month, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children got an infusion of $300 million from the White House to help keep the program going through Oct. 31 during the shutdown.
Originally Published: October 23, 2025 at 12:12 PM EDT