Cuts to SNAP will deepen hunger and hardship across Montana

Montana Food Bank Network is gravely concerned about the passage of the budget reconciliation bill, which includes the most significant cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

Passed by a narrow margin in Congress and expected to be signed into law, this bill marks one of the most devastating setbacks for low-income families in decades. 

The Food Bank Network and a broad coalition of anti-hunger advocates, community leaders and everyday Montanans have urged lawmakers to reject this harmful legislation. Yet their calls went unheeded. Lawmakers chose politics over people. 

"This bill is a major setback for Montana families,” said Gayle Carlson, President and CEO at the Food Bank Network. “In every corner of our state, we see families doing their best to make ends meet — working multiple jobs, caring for loved ones, and striving to provide stability. SNAP and Medicaid are not luxuries. They are lifelines. Cutting them will force impossible choices: food or heat, medicine or rent.” 

The damage of this bill will be staggering. Decades of progress in the fight against hunger are now at risk of being reversed. With billions of dollars being cut from SNAP, Montana will see higher rates of hunger and health care costs. With states required to pay a portion of SNAP benefits for the first time in history, on top of being required to cover 75% of the cost to administer the program, we are likely to see higher taxes but with fewer services. Some states are expected to opt out of SNAP altogether.  

At a time when Montana is already facing rising food insecurity and skyrocketing living costs. This legislation will worsen an already dire situation — stripping away food assistance from those who need it most, including children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. SNAP is our best defense against hunger - for every meal a food bank provides, SNAP delivers nine. No charitable organization – including the Food Bank Network - can come close to filling this gap. The Food Bank Network is already seeing an increased need at pantries across the state, weakening our most effective tool in combating food insecurity will increase hardship on our pantries and most importantly our neighbors.   

For many of the families we serve, programs like SNAP and Medicaid are not just safety nets — they are essential to survival. Now more than ever, we need our lawmakers and everyone in the community to understand what’s at stake and work together to strengthen the foundation that helps families in our community thrive. 

Montana Food Bank Network will continue to support and advocate for our neighbors facing hunger who will be impacted by this bill in the coming months and years. Our mission remains unchanged: to ensure all Montanans have consistent access to the nutritious food they need to learn, work and thrive.

Kiera Condon is advocacy specialist at Montana Food Bank Network.