Almost 400,000 Alabamians will see their food stamp benefits cuts starting in March as pandemic-era programs come to an end.

Emergency allotments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were put in place two years ago to provide a financial boost during the COVID pandemic. The changes were only temporary, however, and the new government spending bill – technically called the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 – ended the program for Alabama and 25 other states where they exist.

Emergency allotments allowed all households receiving SNAP, commonly referred to as food stamps, to receive an additional $95 in benefits or the difference between what they had been getting and the maximum allowed for their household size, which ever was larger.

According to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, approximately 393,000 SNAP households will be impacted in Alabama, with an average decreases of $170 per household. The change goes into effect with March benefits.

More than 725,000 of the state’s residents – roughly 15% – receive food stamp benefits.