Food Stamp Benefit Cuts Start Today

On Friday, a boost from the federal stimulus package is set to expire, which will cut the "food stamp" program by $5 billion dollars nationally.

More than 47 million Americans — or 1 in 7 — will see a decrease in their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, reports CBS News. The amount could get cut even more depending on what Congress works out with the farm bill later in the year.

According to the Washington Post, the impact of the cuts will vary widely, but those using food stamps will have to make ends meet with 5 to 8 percent less than what they currently receive. A family of three with no income currently receives $526 that amount could drop to $497, the Post reports.

While the amount seems minor, poverty advocates say that the impact would be great.

“That could be lunch for a week,’’ Deborah Carroll, administrator of the District’s Economic Security Administration, told the Post. “It will definitely have an effect on how people access food.”

Read more at the Washington Post.