An average of 53,070 North Dakotans participated in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) per month in fiscal year 2009 (based on preliminary data as of Jan. 8, 2010). The participation rate is up 9.6 percent from the 48,412 monthly average in 2008.

“These new numbers are a bit of a wakeup call for North Dakota,” says Richard Rathge, North Dakota State Data Center director at North Dakota State University. “They remind us that in spite of our economic successes and robust economy, there is a growing segment of our state that is not participating in the prosperity. These are the people struggling to meet basic needs and certainly need our attention.”

Nationally, participation in SNAP increased 18.7 percent from 2008 to 2009.

This month’s “Economic Brief,” a monthly publication from the State Data Center, focuses on the average monthly participation in SNAP, along with the average monthly benefit per participant.

The data were obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. As of Oct. 1, 2008, SNAP became the new name for the federal Food Stamp Program. The new name reflects changes made to the program, which include a focus on nutrition and an increase in benefit amounts.

Nearly $80 million in SNAP benefits were distributed to North Dakota participants in fiscal year 2009, which is up 34.2 percent from 2008. Nationally, $50.4 billion in SNAP benefits were distributed in 2009, which is up 45.5 percent from 2008.

On average, SNAP participants in North Dakota each received $124.94 per month in fiscal year 2009, which is an increase of 22.5 percent from the $102.02 in 2008. Nationally, participants each received an average of $124.45 per month in 2009, which is up 22.6 percent from the $101.52 received per month in 2008.

Hawaii reported the highest average monthly payment at $199.02 in 2009. Missouri had the lowest at $91.59.

During an average month, SNAP recipients comprised 8.2 percent of North Dakota’s total population in 2009. Nearly half of all SNAP recipients in the state were children. Nationwide, participants comprised 11 percent of the total population in 2009.

NDSU Agriculture Communication