SNAP

Many who work with the nation's poor worry that poverty will be forgotten under a Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress.

At least a quarter of people in West Virginia struggle to afford groceries. In one county, two farmers are finding new ways to help their neighbors sell the food they grow and eat more healthfully.

When people apply for food stamps, federal law says they should get them in seven days. But in New Mexico, government workers are blowing the whistle on the state doctoring food stamps applications

About 23 million American households rely on SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. But nearly one-third of them still have to visit a food pantry to keep themselves fed, according to USDA data.

There's a three-month cap on SNAP benefits for unemployed, able-bodied adults, but it was waived in many areas after the recession began. In 22 states, the time limit kicked back in this month.

People on food stamps on average ate fewer fruits and vegetables and had worse diets than other Americans, a study finds. It reflects the challenges of eating well on limited means.

Republicans argue the SNAP program would be more efficient if it were run by states. Meanwhile, the Obama administration is funding an initiative to move recipients into jobs.

The federal government is putting $100 million behind a simple idea: doubling the value of federal food benefits when people use them to buy fresh produce. This idea started small but became a hit.

There a big new pot of government money available for programs that boost the buying power of food stamps. But there's a catch: The cash has to spent on local fruit and vegetables.

Last year, about 1 in 7 people in the U.S. were getting food stamps, or SNAP benefits. But the numbers have started to drop as more people find work and better-paying jobs, analysts say.