MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — Changes to the federal SNAP program could soon impact thousands of Wisconsinites who rely on FoodShare benefits.
A coalition of organizations across Wisconsin could be unable to meet new federal requirements without an additional 69 million dollars in support for Foodhare. Rebekah Sweeney is with the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association says the state could face federal penalties.
“The state risks federal penalties of more than $200 million every single year, depending on our error rates. Those penalties would be a pure loss to taxpayers. No families fed, no farmers or businesses helped, no efficiencies gained,” Sweeney said.
Coalition members argue that funding is critical to protecting Wisconsin families’ access to food assistance. The additional funding would require bipartisan support in the Wisconsin Legislature.