WASHINGTON, DC – Federal food assistance spending rose in fiscal 2025, keeping nutrition programs central to USDA’s budget and rural household support.
USDA’s Economic Research Service says spending on 16 domestic food and nutrition assistance programs totaled $147.9 billion, up 1.5 percent from fiscal 2024. Adjusted for inflation, spending was 1.1 percent lower.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, remained the largest program at $101.7 billion, accounting for more than two-thirds of total spending. Average participation rose 1 percent to 42.1 million people per month.
The Women, Infants, and Children program averaged 6.9 million participants per month, with spending up 6 percent to $7.7 billion. Child nutrition programs served 9.3 billion meals and cost $29.9 billion.
The report shows that food assistance remains a major driver of consumer demand and a rural income-support channel as Congress debates nutrition policy, school meals, and farm bill spending.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Producers should monitor food assistance trends because nutrition programs influence household food demand, school meals, and USDA budget debates.