About 1 in 7 in U.S. Receive Food Stamps

[Donnachaidh]

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/05/03/about-1-in-7-americans-receive-food-stamps/



Growth in the food stamp program appeared to reach a plateau in February — with 14.3% of the population relying on the safety net program.

The number of food stamp recipients was essentially flat in February, the most recent month available, with 44.2 million Americans receiving benefits, according a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (See a sortable breakdown of the data here.)

The food stamp program ballooned during the recession as workers lost their jobs or saw their hours and income reduced. The rise in recipients has begun to flatten in recent months, which may mean that as the economy is improving fewer Americans are seeking to join the program. Enrollment in the program is still high though, with 11.6% more people tapping benefits in February than the same month a year earlier.

Food stamp numbers aren’t seasonally adjusted though, meaning a variety of factors could influence the monthly tallies and the program could grow again in coming months.

interactive map at the link --

[grasswire]

1. I know this is going to sound like those scolds...

...who complain about people in the grocery line using food stamps, but it is merely an observation of a different sort.

The people I see in line using food stamp card lately are not the ones people usually hate on for buying junk food. They are young couples in their twenties or so buying all organic, lots of colorful and exotic (out of season) fruits and vegetables, good cheese, organic meats, and things one would not expect food stampers to purchase if money was tight and they were likely to be hungry toward the end of the month.

I'm not condemning them. I'm just surprised and wonder what this trend means. Of course I'm citing a very small sample -- probably six of them in the past six months or so.

[Adsos Letter]

2. Sounds like they want to be ecologically responsible shoppers

and to eat as healthy as possible. I take your point about the cost of the foods.

[grasswire]

7. eating out of season produce isn't ecologically responsible

....because it means it's coming from far, far away.

I'm glad they are eating better food than the families I see whose shopping cart is full of processed junk. I just wonder if they understand the usefulness of making a food budget that will last more of the month.

None of my bidness, I realize.

[quakerboy]

3. The last few months

Ive noticed that it seems to be closer to every other in the line ahead of me using food stamps. Its getting scary.

Everything from professional appearing middle age men to mothers with children buying staples to younger couples. Buying just about every diverse item of food you can imagine.

[leftstreet]

4. The article is about how many people qualify, not how they spend the $

That's what seems significant

[seeviewonder]

5. Some of the comments on the comment page

at the link are enough to make most people sick. Check them out if you have a strong stomach. Thanks for the link, though!

[Retrograde]

6. Well, it is the Wall Street Journal

which used to be decent business-oriented paper until Murdoch took it over.

Re the comments: why do all these "welfare bums" drive Mercedes and Escalades? Wouldn't at least some of them try to be a little different and go for a Lexus or a Porsche? (That's a :sarcasm: there). I gave up after reading about a quarter of them: they get more disgusting as they progress.