The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set a firm deadline for states to implement expanded work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, beginning this November. Earlier this year, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which restructured SNAP’s work requirements and narrowed eligibility for exemptions from the three-month time limit that applies to able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs).
Under the rule, these individuals can only receive SNAP benefits for three months within a three-year period unless they meet specific work criteria. In a memo sent to all state agencies on October 3, the USDA directed states to start enforcing the new guidelines next month. The changes significantly alter who qualifies for exemptions. The upper age limit for exemption has been raised to include individuals up to age 65, up from the previous limit of 59.
Currently, about 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, which help low- and no-income households afford groceries. While the federal government funds the program, states are responsible for administering and managing it. The updated rules also change several key exemptions. Parents or guardians caring for children under 14 will still qualify, but the previous cutoff for children under 18 has been reduced.
Exemptions for homeless individuals, veterans, and young adults who aged out of foster care at 24 or younger have been eliminated. Pregnant individuals and those unable to work due to a physical or mental condition will remain exempt. Supporters of the policy, including members of the Trump administration, argue that the stricter work rules will encourage self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on federal welfare programs.
“Establishing universal work requirements for able-bodied adults across the welfare programs we manage will prioritize the vulnerable, empower able-bodied individuals, help rebuild thriving communities and protect the taxpayers,” wrote Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Housing Secretary Scott Turner in a joint New York Times op-ed earlier this year.
However, critics say the new measures will unfairly punish Americans struggling to balance caregiving, employment, and other responsibilities. The Food Action and Research Center responded, warning that the policy will harm families already on the edge.
“These rules mean that a mother homeschooling her 15-year-old will lose benefits because caregiving doesn’t ‘count’ as work,” the group said. “A veteran with unpredictable shifts will lose benefits for failing to meet rigid reporting rules. A grandmother who retired early to help raise her grandchild will be cut off because unpaid family care is not recognized.”
The organization added that “SNAP is one of the most effective anti-poverty and pro-growth programs in the country,” noting that every dollar in SNAP benefits generates up to $1.80 in local economic activity.