A federal government shutdown has produced a sudden and painful disruption in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, leaving millions of Americans uncertain about whether their EBT cards will work for November groceries. Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use contingency reserves, but the agency says those funds will only cover roughly half of normal monthly benefits.
USDA filings and court orders show the agency plans to tap about $4.65 billion in contingency money to cover approximately 50 percent of households’ allotments, a stopgap that still leaves a substantial shortfall and no funds for new enrollees. States and food banks are scrambling to adjust payment schedules and prepare for higher demand if the shutdown persists.
The turmoil on Capitol Hill has also had knock-on effects at the local level: some small grocers are unable to complete SNAP certifications and therefore cannot accept EBT at checkout, forcing residents in rural areas to travel farther or pay cash for basic supplies. One Idaho community grocery reported certification delays tied to federal processing hiccups, describing customers stranded without easy access to affordable groceries.
Meanwhile, fraud and criminal schemes that target EBT accounts remain a serious and growing problem, compounding the crisis for legitimate recipients. Investigations from multiple states have uncovered skimming devices and bogus terminals used to siphon benefits, and state agencies have reported hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from vulnerable families.
Law enforcement and state officials say these schemes can be sophisticated and fast-moving: recent cases involve coordinated thefts used to buy high-volume junk food and energy drink purchases, illustrating how criminals exploit weak points in the system. The scale of these abuses fuels public distrust and diverts taxpayer dollars away from intended recipients.
For store owners, the mix of funding uncertainty and fraud risk creates operational chaos — managers must balance compliance, the risk of penalties, and the practical realities of serving customers who rely on benefits. Small, community-focused markets that cannot process EBT lose both customers and goodwill, and often have no fast remedy while federal systems remain tied up.
Policymakers and administrators face a twofold job: restore reliable, full funding so families can put food on the table, and harden the EBT system against theft with better terminal security, faster fraud detection, and clear penalties for bad actors. Strengthening oversight, investing in tamper-resistant payment technology, and ensuring that contingency plans preserve access without hollowing out child nutrition programs are practical steps that would reduce future disruption and theft.
As the shutdown drags on, the immediate priority should be predictable access to benefits and swift action against fraudsters who prey on the most vulnerable. Regardless of political blame, the outcome here will be judged by whether families can buy groceries this month and whether taxpayers see their dollars reach their intended purpose.
