Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T21:09:35.727Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

How Does the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Affect the U.S. Economy?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2016

Jeffrey J. Reimer ,
Senal Weerasooriya  and
Tyler T. West
Jeffrey J. Reimer*
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Economics at Oregon State University
Senal Weerasooriya
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Economics at Oregon State University
Tyler T. West
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Economics at Oregon State University
*
Correspondence: Jeff Reimer ▪ Department of Applied Economics ▪ Oregon State University ▪ 213 Ballard Extension Hall ▪ Corvallis, OR 97331 ▪ Phone 541.737.1415 ▪ Email[email protected].
Get access

Abstract

The impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on the national economy is examined using a general equilibrium model and comparing measures of the economy from 2010 to a simulation of that economy without SNAP. Without the SNAP program, the overall size of the economy hardly differs—demand for labor increases slightly. However, households that would be eligible for SNAP experience a net loss. They have 5.5 percent less disposable income while ineligible households have approximately 1 percent more income without SNAP, and output of products eligible for purchase with SNAP funds declines approximately one billion dollars.

Keywords

consumer demandfood assistancegeneral equilibriumpolicypovertySNAP
Type
Research Article
Information
Agricultural and Resource Economics Review , Volume 44 , Issue 3 , December 2015 , pp. 233 - 252
Copyright
Copyright © 2015 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bauer, D., and Wing, I.S. 2010. “Economic Consequences of Pollinator Declines: A Synthesis.” Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 39(3): 368–383.Google Scholar
Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2011. “Income before Taxes: Average Annual Expenditures and Characteristics” Consumer Expenditure Survey. BLS, Washington, DC. Available at www.bls.gov/cex.Google Scholar
Burgstahler, R., Gundersen, C., and Garasky, S. 2012. “The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Financial Stress, and Childhood Obesity.” Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 41(1): 29–42.Google Scholar
Castner, L., and Henke, J. 2011. Benefit Redemption Patterns in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Research and Analysis, Washington, DC. Available at www.fns.usda.gov.Google Scholar
Castner, L., and Mabli, J. 2010. Low-income Spending Patterns and Measures of Poverty. Report AG-3198-D-07-0114, Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 2012. Introduction to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Policy Basics, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Congressional Budget Office. 2014. “Updated Budget Projections: 2014 to 2024.” CBO, Washington DC. Available at www.cbo.gov/publication/45229.Google Scholar
Edin, K., Boyd, M., Mabli, J., Ohls, J., Worthington, J., Greene, S., Redel, N., and Sridharan, S. 2013. “SNAP Food Security In-depth Interview Study.” Final report submitted to the Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, Alexandria, VA.Google Scholar
Food and Nutrition Service. 2014. “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation and Costs.” FNS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. Google Scholar
Hanson, K. 2010. The Food Assistance National Input-Output Multiplier (FANIOM) Model and Stimulus Effects of SNAP. Research Report 103, USDA Economic Research Service, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Hanson, K., Golan, E., Vogel, S., and Olmstead, J. 2002. Tracing the Impacts of Food Assistance Programs on Agriculture and Consumers: A CGE Model. Research Report 18, USDA Economic Research Service, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Huang, K. 1993. A Complete System of U.S. Demand for Food. Technical Bulletin 1821, USDA Economic Research Service, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
IMPLAN. 2011. IMPLAN data and software. Huntersville, NC (www.implan.com).Google Scholar
Lofgren, H., Harris, R.L., and Robinson, S. 2002. A Standard Computable General Equilibrium Model in GAMS. Microcomputers in Policy Research Report 5, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Mabli, J., and Malsberger, R. 2013. “Recent Trends in Spending Patterns of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participants and Other Low-income Americans.” Monthly Labor Review September.Google Scholar
Mabli, J., Ohls, J., Dragoset, L., Castner, L., and Santos, B. 2013. “Measuring the Effect of SNAP Participation on Food Security.” Report prepared by Mathematica Policy Research for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Meyer, B., and Goerge, R. 2011. “Errors in Survey Reporting and Imputation and Their Effects on Estimates of Food Stamp Program Participation.” Discussion Paper 11-14, U.S. Census Bureau Center for Economic Studies, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Meyer, B., Mok, W., and Sullivan, J. 2009. “The Under-reporting of Transfers in Household Surveys: Its Nature and Consequences.” Working Paper 15181, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
Randhir, T, and Hertel, T.W. 2000. “Trade Liberalization as a Vehicle for Adapting to Global Warming.” Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 29(2): 159–172.Google Scholar
Ratcliffe, C., McKernan, S.M., and Zhang, S. 2011. “How Much Does the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Reduce Food Insecurity?” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 93(4): 1082–1098.Google Scholar
Reimer, J.J., and Hertel, T.W. 2004. “Estimation of International Demand Behavior for Use with Input-Output Based Data.” Economic Systems Research 16(4): 347–366.Google Scholar
Reimer, J.J., and Hertel, T.W. 2010. “Non-homothetic Preferences and International Trade.” Review of International Economics 18(2): 408–425.Google Scholar
Reimer, J.J., and Li, M. 2009. “Yield Variability and Agricultural Trade.” Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 38(2): 258–270.Google Scholar
Strayer, M., Eslami, E., and Leftin, J. 2012. Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2011. USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Research and Analysis, Alexandria, VA.Google Scholar
Waters, E., Holland, D., and Weber, B. 1997. “Economic Impacts of a Property Tax Limitation: A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis of Oregon's Measure 5.” Land Economics 73(1): 72–89.Google Scholar