Even though the trafficking rate for USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has been driven down significantly over the last two decades, USDA in announcing a new range of aggressive tactics to further improve program integrity. The tactics address the issue of using SNAP benefits for anything other than the purchase of food from authorized retailers, including the sale or exchange of benefits in SNAP.

USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon says SNAP has never been more important as hardworking families turn to the program for assistance while they get back on their feet. From 1993 to the 2006-08 period, the trafficking rate has gone down from 4 cents to about 1 cent on the dollar. Thru this renewed effort, USDA will work with state agencies and state-of-the-art technologies, including the development of the next generation of its fraud detection system.

Through this effort, USDA will clarify that the “intent to sell” SNAP benefits is a program violation and expand and clarify the definition of trafficking. Also, new guidance to States will underscore their responsibility to use the results of FNS retailer actions to investigate and penalize recipients that may have been involved in trafficking with that retailer. USDA will also enhance its retailer surveillance system.