LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Governor Gretchen Whitmer is leading 21 governors in urging the White House to release federal funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to prevent a suspension of benefits next month.
In a joint letter sent Wednesday to President Donald Trump, Whitmer and other governors warned that halting SNAP payments would put millions of Americans at risk of hunger and poverty. The letter calls SNAP “more than just a food assistance program, it’s a lifeline,” noting that the program helps families afford nutritious food, supports farmers and grocers, and strengthens local economies.
The governors urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately release contingency funds and use its authority to prevent disruptions to November benefits. According to the letter, SNAP supports about 388,000 jobs nationwide and generates more than $20 billion in wages and $4.5 billion in tax revenue.
About 1.4 million Michiganders, roughly 13 percent of households, rely on SNAP to help buy food. Officials say a pause in benefits would ripple through Michigan’s food supply chain, affecting small farmers, grocers, and distributors.
To help soften the blow, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and the Fair Food Network announced temporary expansions to the state’s Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches SNAP spending on fresh fruits and vegetables.
The expansion, effective through the end of the year, removes daily earning caps, eliminates expiration dates on Double Up credits, and allows frozen fruits and vegetables without added sugar, salt, or oil to qualify for the program. A new $40 “Bonus Bucks” voucher will also be available to SNAP shoppers starting November 1, without requiring a match.
Governor Whitmer said the changes “will go a long way in ensuring access to healthy food can continue while we push our federal partners to reach a deal that avoids more harm to Michigan families.”
MDARD Director Tim Boring said the uncertainty in federal funding highlights the need to strengthen local food systems. “While we don’t have a direct hand in a lot of the SNAP work that goes on in Michigan, we are engaged in a lot of different ways in food here in Michigan, all the way from the producer level up to the distribution and the end, the end point here on families’ plates. ” Boring said. “So we’ll continue to be working to make sure those systems are working as well and facilitate this continued sense of response to what this means for Michigan families.”
He added that programs like Double Up Food Bucks not only help families but also sustain farmers, growers, and local economies. “Through that lens, SNAP supports farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and their success, and in that, in turn, supports jobs and has a greater impact on our local economies.” Boring said.
More than 9,700 retailers in Michigan except SNAP. In 2023, retailers redeemed over $3.6 million in SNAP benefits. In 2024, SNAP benefits utilized in Michigan farmers’ markets totaled more than $1.5 million, and they earned shoppers an additional $860,000 to spend on fresh fruits and Vegetables, thus creating total buying power that reaches nearly $2.4 million.
Whitmer said the coalition of governors remains united in urging federal leaders to act before November 1. “Every day of delay brings us a day closer to tens of millions of Americans going hungry,” she said.
