Idaho department of health and welfare says the new SNAP benefits schedule has changed with little complaint from SNAP Customers.
The schedule was changed in order to make it easier for customers to have access to fresh produce. Farmers and stores said they needed to work together with SNAP customers by distributing fresh produce over several weeks, rather than having all SNAP customers in the stores on the first of the month.
That dynamic was creating a spike in demand, and meeting that demand was stressing the supply chain according to farmers.
"The number of calls that we actually receive in our call centers is actually down," said Niki Forbing-Orr, the Public Information Officer with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. "That's based on the numbers that are typical on the first of the month. So we're cautiously optimistic," she said.
