Oregonians on food stamps will not receive benefits after the end of the month if the federal government shutdown persists.

On Monday, the Oregon Department of Human Services began notifying the more than 750,000 people currently receiving benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP — informally known as food stamps — they will not get new benefits after Oct. 31.

Though if someone has a remaining balance on their account after the end of the month, they can still use it. Benefits usually get deposited into people’s accounts the first week of the month.

“This is a cruel and unacceptable situation. President Trump should focus on feeding families by negotiating a deal with Congress, not doing other things like deploying troops in American cities on taxpayers’ dime,” Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement.

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More than half of Oregonians that receive benefits are seniors, children and people with disabilities.

“In just a few days, thousands of Oregonians and millions more across the country will be forced to make impossible choices to feed their families because of Trump’s government shutdown,” Sen. Ron Wyden said. “This is one more casualty of failed Republican leadership. I stand ready to work with anyone that wants to protect health care, keep costs down, and restore this essential lifeline for kids and families.”

Earlier this month, a memo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was sent notifying state agencies not to begin the process of distributing benefits for the month of November until further notice.

“SNAP has funding available for benefits and operations through the month of October,” the memo reads. “However, if the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the nation.”

A spokesperson from the state human services department told OPB if Congress comes up with a deal to fund the federal government either before or after Oct. 31, it’s unclear how long it will take to turn SNAP benefits back on.

That’s because Oregon contracts with a third-party processor that deposits money to people’s Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, account. That same processor also contracts with approximately 30 other states, meaning they’ll have to process millions of accounts at the same time, which can overwhelm their systems.

“Due to the unprecedented and complex nature of this situation, ODHS’ EBT vendor that distributes federal SNAP money has not been able to give us a concrete timeline regarding the post-shutdown November SNAP issuance,” the spokesperson said.

The announcement comes as Oregon began tightening eligibility requirements this month to comply with federal changes passed through H.R.1, the Republican tax and spending cut bill that Congress passed on July 4. Those changes include new work requirements in rural Oregon communities that have often been exempted from them.

That federal spending bill also removed work requirement exceptions for people experiencing homelessness, veterans and former foster youth. Refugees and asylum seekers are no longer eligible for any SNAP benefits.

More than 3,500 retailers statewide participate in SNAP, generating $1.50 to $1.80 in economic activity for every dollar spent, according to the Oregon State Treasury.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/20/food-stamps-snap-oregon-government-shutdown/