JACKSON, Wyo. — The landscape of food access in Wyoming is changing rapidly, and while Teton County will likely avoid direct impacts, there is reason to believe the residual effects will eventually land here.
Multiple federal grants and programs that directly assist Wyomingites who are battling food insecurity have been slashed since March, potentially causing resources to be stretched thin during a time when more people will be looking for assistance. Recent federal funds that have been cut were once put toward stocking food pantries with locally produced food; consulting schools and food pantries about nutrition and physical activity; and supporting regional farmers and food producers.
Meanwhile, more people are preparing to lose access to safety-net programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, through the passage of H.R.1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act in Congress.
Food Bank of Wyoming Executive Director Danica Sveda expressed uncertainty about the changes, saying there are still questions to be answered.
“Food Bank is certainly preparing for the impact of these changes to SNAP,” Sveda told Buckrail. “Changes to Medicaid are another thing we’re watching. Rural communities who rely on that, if they can’t get covered through Medicaid, or there are no local doctors around, people will begin relying more heavily on food banks because they’ll be paying medical bills out of pocket.”
With the recent federal legislation, work eligibility requirements for SNAP recipients have become stricter, putting select demographics — including veterans, former foster youth under age 24 and homeless people — under conditions not previously required of them. According to the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS), which administers the program, the number of individuals subject to the additional requirements will rise by 725.
Republican Senator for Utah Mike Lee, who initially proposed the changes to SNAP, touted the regulations in a press release on his website: “Work requirements are widely supported by the American public, save taxpayer dollars and will strengthen the program for families who really need it. Our legislation tackles fraud and abuse while promoting self-sufficiency, which should be the goal of all such programs.”
According to a research paper by The Hamilton Project and Brookings Institution, an American think tank specializing in economics research, more stringent work requirements do little to increase the labor force, and instead create more hurdles, often resulting in reduced access to benefits. People facing a loss of benefits are more likely to turn to a food pantry or other nonprofit.
DFS Public Information Officer Kelly Douglas told Buckrail that of the 28,746 Wyoming residents receiving SNAP benefits in July, only 51 live in Teton County. That figure does not show the whole picture of food insecurity. Teton County is an economic outlier in the state, where high housing costs drive up wages, which precludes many from qualifying for safety-net programs. To qualify for SNAP in Wyoming, a person or household typically must have an income below 130% of the federal poverty line. For a household of four, 130% would equal $41,795 per year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
According to a press release from the Food Bank of Wyoming on June 27, an estimated 87,710 people in the state are unsure of where their next meal will come from, and over 26,000 children live in a home that is not food-secure — a 39% increase since 2019.
Debra Davis, executive director for Casper food pantry Joshua’s Storehouse, is quoted in the press release as saying: “Having a job doesn’t mean they have enough food to feed their children or themselves. Inflation, cost of living and growing families contribute to a greater need for food, a basic human need.”
Follow along as Buckrail dives into the changing world of food access in Teton County and Wyoming through interviews with food producers, food pantries, nonprofits, government agencies and more.
