Release No. 0172.08
Contact: Jean Daniel (703) 305-2281
Printable version
USDA Awards $30 Million in States for Exceptional Administration of the
Food Stamp Program
National Payment Accuracy Rate Reaches an Historic High
CHICAGO, June 27, 2008 --Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today announced
that USDA will award $30 million to states for demonstrating excellence in
administering Food Stamp Program benefits in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007. Among those
states, South Dakota and Nebraska have exceptional records, winning high
performance bonuses every year since 2003, the first year that the high
performance awards were authorized. The overall national payment accuracy rate
for FY 2007 was 94.36 percent, an historic high for the program.
"USDA commends our state partners for their diligence in maintaining program
integrity while increasing access and participation in the Food Stamp Program,"
said Schafer. "One of our top priorities is to ensure that America's most
vulnerable residents have access to a healthful diet."
As authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill, each year USDA awards $24 million among
the seven states with the best payment accuracy rates and the three states with
the most improved payment accuracy rates. The payment accuracy rate measures
overpayments and underpayments to food stamp recipients. The states with the
best payment accuracy rates in FY 2007 were South Dakota, Nebraska, North
Carolina, Missouri, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Washington. The most improved
states were Florida, Arizona and Kansas.
USDA will award an additional $6 million among the four states with the
lowest negative error rates and the two states with the most improved negative
error rates. The negative error rate measures improper denials or termination of
food stamp benefits. The states with the lowest negative rate in FY 2007 were
Nebraska, which had a zero negative error rate for the second consecutive year,
South Dakota, Alabama and Minnesota. The most improved states were Oregon and
Kansas.
"I am extremely proud of our state partners for achieving an all-time high
national payment accuracy rate of 94.36 percent," said Agriculture Under
Secretary Nancy Johner. "This achievement indicates continued focus on customer
service and providing critical nutrition assistance to those most in need."
The states below will receive the following awards:
BEST PAYMENT ACCURACY RATES
MOST IMPROVED PAYMENT ACCURACY RATES
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Florida $5,481,910
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Arizona $2,005,164
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Kansas $810,296
BEST NEGATIVE ERROR RATES
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Nebraska $479,050
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South Dakota $280,981
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Alabama $1,715,161
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Minnesota $1,063,350
MOST IMPROVED NEGATIVE ERROR RATES
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Oregon $1,755,504
-
Kansas $705,954
USDA's 15 nutrition assistance programs reach one in five Americans each year
and serve as our Nation's first line of defense against hunger. They include the
Food Stamp Program (FSP), the school meals programs, and the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
The Food Stamp Program serves more than 27 million low-income individuals
each month and supplements their food budgets so participants can buy the food
they need for good health.
Last modified:
12/05/2008
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