Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation dropped by about 3.5 million people between July 2025 and February 2026, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act that limited eligibility was signed into law July 4, 2025.
The decrease marks a 9% downward shift nationwide, but some states are experiencing a more acute drop. Arizona saw a 51.97% decline in participation between March 2025 and March 2026.
More cuts to SNAP are anticipated in the coming years, especially due to the cost-sharing provisions in the OBBBA. Starting in fiscal year 2028, states with a payment error rate over 6% will have to pay a percentage of SNAP costs. Error rates can result from both overpayments and underpayments.
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The cost-sharing incentivizes states to reduce their error rates quickly, which will probably lead to eligible households losing their SNAP benefits, according to the center.
Only eight states have error rates under 6%, per USDA FY24 data. The OBBBA requires that for FY28 cost-sharing, state payment rates will be based on either FY25 or FY26 data.
Some Republican senators are privately considering adding a provision in the Senate’s version of the farm bill to delay the cost-sharing requirements in order to reach the 60 votes required for passage, Politico reported last week.
