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Originally published Vol. 4,
Issue 4 (September 2006)
Participation in USDA’s Food Stamp
Program varies by State
Linda Scott
Kantor
An average of 25.6 million people,
or 8.7 percent of the U.S. population, received
food stamps each month during fiscal year 2005,
an increase from 8.1 percent in 2004. Hurricane-ravaged
Louisiana had the largest share of its residents
receiving food stamps in 2005—17.9 percent—displacing
the District of Columbia, which had led the Nation
in participation during 2001-04. Participation shares
increased in most States from 2004, despite small
declines in Rhode Island, Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming.
Average participation shares were lowest in New
Hampshire at 4.0 percent, followed by New Jersey,
Wyoming, and Nevada.

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