Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue declined to weigh in on calls by Democratic leaders for a 15% increase in SNAP benefits, saying USDA’s job is to provide technical advice.

A senior Agriculture Department official rejected House Democrats’ demands that USDA pull back a proposal to reduce income eligibility limits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in many states. 

Brandon Lipps and Pam Miller have new roles at the Department of Agriculture, and USDA will have another mission area led by deputy undersecretary rather than a Senate-confirmed official.

A congressional hearing on SNAP “program integrity” provided a snapshot of the debate over the most controversial aspect of the proposed House farm bill – that in order to receive benefits, all able-bodied adults between 18 and 59 years of age work or be in an approved training program for at least 20 hours per week.

A top USDA official was met with boos and derisive laughter when he attempted to sell anti-hunger activists and food banks on the Trump administration’s proposal to convert a portion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to food boxes. 

USDA wants to hear from the public and policy experts about how to push unemployed, able-bodied adults who are getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits into the workforce.