USDA To Keep SNAP Payments Flowing

Nov 03, 2025
By Farms.com

Court order allows USDA to continue SNAP payments

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to continue distributing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The decision, which directs the use of contingency funds, ensures that approximately 42 million Americans relying on SNAP will continue receiving their monthly food assistance.

According to updates shared by the League through Hope Mayor Tim McDonough, Chair of its OEM Task Force, the ruling temporarily prevents widespread disruptions in SNAP access. However, recipients should expect a short delay, as updated balances may not appear on Families First EBT cards until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Residents using SNAP benefits are advised to check their card balances before shopping for groceries or market goods. Additionally, due to heightened risks of fraud, officials warn beneficiaries that no one from the USDA or state agencies will contact them via phone, email, or text message to request personal or account information. Any such attempt should be treated as a scam.

The New Jersey State Police and the Office of Emergency Management have confirmed that the Attorney General’s office will release further details soon. The League and local agencies will continue providing updates as more information becomes available.

Mike Cerra, Executive Director, reaffirmed the League’s commitment to ensuring that residents stay informed and protected during this uncertain time.

Read the related article: Costa Fights to Protect Food Benefits

Photo Credit: usda

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.