Food Stamp Participation Among Low-Income Households: Theoretical Considerations of the Impact on the Demand for Food*

Ron Mittelhammer () and Donald A. West

Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 1975, vol. 7, issue 1, 223-231

Abstract: The USDA's Food Stamp Program (FSP) is a major item in the department's budget. In effect from 1939 to 1943 and revived as a pilot program in 1961, FSP has grown until, in 1973, it provided nearly $4 billion in food stamps to an average of 12 million persons per month. About 55 percent of the $4 billion is federal subsidy. The program is continuing to expand as a result of a congressional mandate that FSP be in effect nationwide after June 30, 1974. Because of the FSP's growth, questions are now being asked about the program's impact on demand for food in the United States. In its pre-World War II inception, FSP was developed as an alternative to direct distribution of commodities to relief families. Although the objective of improving food consumption among needy households was recognized, FSP was viewed primarily as a method for stimulating demand for farm products.

Date: 1975
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Journal Article: FOOD STAMP PARTICIPATION AMONG LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS: THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF THE IMPACT ON THE DEMAND FOR FOOD (1975)
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