Roughly 600,000 Kentuckians who rely on benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could face uncertainty in the months ahead as federal funding for the program has dried up amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.
During an Oct. 20 news conference, Gov. Andy Beshear said the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not authorized SNAP funding for November, and the Trump Administration said the federal government will not pay out benefits for the upcoming month.
The federal government shutdown that started Oct. 1 has so far has marked the third-longest shutdown in U.S. history and will last indefinitely until Congress is able to pass a suitable appropriations bill.
Here’s what to know about SNAP in Kentucky and how it could impact residents:
How many people get SNAP benefits in Kentucky?
Based on estimates from Department of Agriculture data from fiscal year 2024, it is believed about 595,000 recipients in Kentucky received SNAP benefits in September, but an official tally has not yet been released.
According to data from the Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services, more than 562,000 people across nearly 271,000 households in the commonwealth received SNAP benefits in June 2025. During a July 10 meeting of the Make America Healthy Again Kentucky Task Force, Division of Family Support Director Roger McCann said more than 39.2% of those SNAP recipients were under the age of 18.
How much money does Kentucky get for SNAP?
According to state data, Kentucky received roughly $96.2 million in SNAP funding from the federal government in June 2025, with an average benefit amount of about $343 per household.
What’s the difference between SNAP and TANF?
While SNAP benefits assists recipients with purchasing qualifying food items from stores, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is a separate program that assists families with cash for various other necessities, like rent, utilities and child care. TANF funds can also be used toward food not eligible for SNAP benefits.
Qualifications also differ slightly between both programs, like TANF only being available for families with underage dependents and having stricter work requirements. TANF enrollment is also usually capped after five years of assistance.
Gov. Beshear said TANF benefits are also being impacted by the government shutdown, as Kentucky receives support from he U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help struggling families for a limited time, but the commonwealth has not received federal funding for November.
Beshear said his administration will cover the TANF program through November using state funds, but he could not make assurances for December.
“This is a temporary action, with hope that the federal shutdown will end and the benefits will begin processing as normal soon,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Trump administration yet to approve November SNAP funding due to shutdown
