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Pages 1-12

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From page 1...
... , knowledge and skills needed to plan and prepare healthy meals, the diversity of cultural preferences, food access constraints, and regional/­ seasonal price fluctuations all may have an impact on the adequacy of SNAP allotments for achieving the program goals. In addition to these indi­ idual, v household, and environ­ ental factors, program characteristics -- the way m ­ the allotments are calculated (including the maximum benefit guarantee, 1
From page 2...
... The committee reviewed the evidence for the impact of these factors and characteristics on the purchasing power of SNAP allotments and assessed their role in contributing to the feasibility of defining allotment adequacy. STUDY TASK AND APPROACH In response to questions about whether there are different ways to define the adequacy of SNAP allotments consistent with the program goals of improving food security and access to a healthy diet, USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
From page 3...
... total resources, individual/ household factors, and environmental factors that influence the process through which households purchase and consume foods; and (3) elements of the SNAP program characteristics that interact with the process through which households may achieve program goals.
From page 4...
... Conclusion 2: The Adequacy of SNAP Allotments Is Influenced by Individual, Household, and Environmental Factors Evidence obtained by the committee in its data gathering workshop and in its review and assessment of the literature revealed that the opportunity for SNAP participants to meet the program goals, given a dollar value of their SNAP benefits, is influenced by a number of individual, household, and environmental factors that impact the purchasing power of the allotments. The committee found that a definition of the adequacy of SNAP allotments must account for these factors according to the magnitude and significance of their influence on the allotment's purchasing power.
From page 5...
... Conclusion 3: The Adequacy of SNAP Allotments Is Influenced by Program Characteristics The evidence suggests that a number of factors related to how the dollar value of SNAP allotments is calculated, as well as other SNAP program characteristics, can influence the feasibility of defining an adequate SNAP allotment. The evidence supports the conclusion that the maximum
From page 6...
... In addition, limited evidence suggests that some SNAP households with no net income as defined under the program and residing in high-cost locales with limited access to food outlets are unable to purchase the foods included in the market basket underlying the TFP. Although the committee found compelling evidence on the time costs of meal preparation and on geographic price variations, the evidence on how best to incorporate these factors into the SNAP benefit formula is less compelling.
From page 7...
... Specific data and analytical challenges to the primary research effort are identified at the conclusions of Chapters 3 and 4. Defining and Measuring the Adequacy of SNAP Allotments To define the adequacy of SNAP allotments objectively using currently available evidence requires consideration of a range of factors identified by the committee as likely to have an impact on the allotments' purchasing power.
From page 8...
... Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) should in clude consideration of the influence of specific individual, household, and environmental factors on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
From page 9...
... Particular attention should be given to the adequacy of the current earned income deduc tion; the cap on the excess shelter deduction; and the possibility of expanding the out-of-pocket medical deduction to nonelderly, nondisabled populations. Monitoring Assessment of the Adequacy of SNAP Allotments The committee's findings suggest that an evidence-based definition of the adequacy of SNAP allotments requires ongoing monitoring of the ability of SNAP participants to use the allotments to achieve the program goals.
From page 10...
... The committee identi fied the Healthy Eating Index as one example of a measure that could be adapted to assess whether SNAP participants are meeting recommended dietary goals. Meeting Additional Research Needs The committee identified several factors related to SNAP program participation that may affect whether some SNAP participants are able to meet the program goals and for which evidence is currently inadequate to fully assess their importance.
From page 11...
... D FINAL THOUGHTS The committee reviewed a range of evidence applicable to the feasibility of defining the adequacy of SNAP benefits in terms of whether the SNAP allotment enables program participants to meet program goals, given their benefit allotment, not whether all participants will in fact reach these goals. The committee's recommendations are structured to assist USDA-FNS in establishing an objective definition of the adequacy of the SNAP allotment, taking the evidence for these factors into consideration, and to identify specific data and analysis requirements to support an evidence-based assess­ ment of allotment adequacy.


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