- More Floridians on food stamps despite increase in jobs, By Donna Gehrke-White, May 30, 2012, South Florida Sun Sentinel: “A record number of South Floridians continue to receive food stamps even though the economy shows signs of recovery in the unemployment rate. The state’s record number of food stamp recipients keeps growing although the recession officially ended almost three years ago, said Erin Gillespie, spokeswoman of the Florida Department of Children and Families that oversees the federal food program. Indeed, the number of people on food stamps is at an all time high of 175,688 in Palm Beach County – 0.4 percent more just in April – while Broward has a record 267,755 receiving food stamps – a 0.8 percent jump last month, she said. The state as a whole was up 0.4 in April…”
- USDA targets food-stamp fraud with state effort, By Sam Hananel, May 28, 2012, Washington Post: “Some food stamp recipients are ripping off the government for millions of dollars by illegally selling their benefit cards for cash – sometimes even in the open, on eBay or Craigslist – and then asking the government for replacement cards. The Agriculture Department wants to curb the practice by giving states more power to investigate people who repeatedly claim to lose their benefit cards. It is proposing new rules that would allow states to demand formal explanations from people who seek replacement cards more than three times a year. Those who do not comply may be denied replacement cards…”
- Farmers market options for food stamps sought, Associated Press, May 31, 2012, Omaha World-Herald: “Iowa is scrambling to develop a plan for spending federal money to expand payment options at farmers markets by allowing shoppers to pull out a benefit card for food assistance to pay for strawberries, fresh greens, home-baked bread and other food. An appropriations measure approved last year provides $4 million in funding to increase farmers markets participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps. With about 210 farmers markets, Iowa is set to receive about $161,000 for the program, which requires funds be obligated by Sept. 30…”
Day: June 1, 2012
May 2012 US Unemployment
- Markets tumble on weak unemployment report amid fear that U.S. recovery has stalled, By Ylan Q. Mui, June 1, 2012, Washington Post: “Businesses dramatically scaled back hiring in May, pushing the nation’s unemployment rate up to 8.2 percent and stoking fears that the economic recovery has stalled once again. The Labor Department reported Friday morning that the country added a meager 69,000 jobs last month – less than half the number economists had expected. It also revised its estimate of job growth in April down from 115,000 to just 77,000…”
- U.S. economy appears weaker ahead of jobs report, By Martin Crutsinger (AP), May 31, 2012, Miami Herald: “The U.S. economy is looking slightly weaker one day before a critical report on May job growth. Economic growth was a little slower in the first three months of the year than first estimated, largely because governments and consumers spent less and businesses restocked their supplies more slowly. The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits rose to a five-week high last week. And a survey of private companies showed only modest hiring gains last month…”
Enrollment in Safety Net Programs
Fewer Americans draw on federal relief programs, By Richard Wolf, May 24, 2012, USA Today: “Three years after the recession officially ended, most of the nation’s safety-net programs finally are serving fewer people, an analysis of government data shows. The downward trend that started with unemployment insurance in 2010 and welfare benefits in 2011 has reached food stamps, which have seen a two-month dip – the first time that’s happened under President Obama. Only Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for the poor, remains at its peak, due to the slow recovery, the erosion of employer-sponsored insurance and federal rules that prohibit states from slashing eligibility. Still, even Medicaid has started to level off in some states…”