Impact of the Food Stamp Program on Low Income Household Food Consumption in Rural Florida

Abstract

One objective of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) is to supplement food expenditures of low income households to enhance the household's ability to provide nutritionally adequate diets. A household may consist of any person, or group of persons, who purchase, store and prepare food. Program eligibility is based on net household income, total assets and household size. Eligible households purchase coupons which are used in retail food outlets. Households of equal size receive coupon allotments of equal purchasing value, but the cash purchase requirement varies with net income. Bonus stamps represent the difference between the purchase requirement and the coupon allotment value.