Maggie Mann, a representative of Southeastern Idaho Public Health, told Bannock County commissioners on Oct. 30 that a likely federal disruption to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — expected to take effect Saturday — could have a "pretty significant impact" on the county and the state.

"WIC actually has more generous income guidelines than SNAP," Mann said, explaining that WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) has higher income cutoffs and serves pregnant and postpartum women, breastfeeding women, infants and children through age 5. She said the household cutoff for a family of four is "right at, just just under $60,000." Mann added that WIC and SNAP are separate programs.

Mann provided local enrollment counts for the first quarter of the year: 382 pregnant women; 635 breastfeeding women; 248 postpartum women who are not breastfeeding; 1,154 infants; and 3,392 children ages 1–4 — a total of 5,811 WIC participants in Bannock County. For SNAP, she cited the most recent county-specific figure she could find — 8,988 participants in 2022 — and said the current number is likely higher.

She described mounting pressure on local food resources: "the church that I'm a member of has a food pantry, and we're having to restock it about every 2 days right now because it's just being wiped out." Mann said the Idaho Food Bank has also signaled higher need amid reduced USDA contributions and higher food prices.

Mann warned that some infants rely on medically prescribed formulas that "can run up to about a thousand dollars a month," and said losing WIC access would remove a source of support for those families. She said WIC currently had funding to continue benefits through at least part of November but that the agency was no longer certain how long funds would last.

In response to commissioners' questions, Mann described coordination among agencies: WIC coordinates with the Idaho Food Bank and smaller pantries such as Benny's Pantry at Idaho State University, and she characterized misuse of multiple food sources as rare. Mann said WIC intake lines had already seen increased calls from people seeking certification; she summarized the certification requirements as Idaho residency, proof of income and qualification under program categories (pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, primary-custody parent of a child under 5, or child under age 5).

Mann also noted the health district had received reports of influenza in Bannock County and encouraged vaccination. She reported that Franklin County had a West Nile virus death in a 57-year-old and that mosquito activity had been significant there this season.

Why it matters: A pause or cutoff in SNAP benefits would likely increase demand on WIC, food banks and emergency food providers. Local WIC enrollment and the presence of infants who require prescribed formula underscore potential near-term needs if federal benefits lapse.

Looking ahead: Mann said Mayor Blatt planned a stakeholder meeting to discuss local community responses. She and county officials said they would continue coordinating with food banks and other partners while monitoring WIC funding and client needs.