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Puerto Rico Governor requests SNAP inclusion

Puerto Rico is continuing its call to be included in the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The US territory is currently eligible for SNAP block grants, but Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi says more needs to be done. “It is about time we get the nutrition assistance we deserve as fellow American citizens,” the Governor said.

US Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says he supports Puerto Rico’s request, but… “It’s not up to (USDA) to make that decision. It’s up to Congress,” Vilsack told reporters. “There is some work to be done there. And two, we need to build the capacity within Puerto Rico to be able to administer the program effectively.”

The current block grants provide food assistance to low-income households with a fixed amount of federal funding.

Pierluisi and Vilsack spoke during the 2023 American Farm Bureau Convention in San Juan.