On Foodstamps: One in Seven and Getting Worse

From the must read daily Fire Dog Lake:  http://firedoglake.com/2010/12/11/one-in-seven-and-getting-worse/

By: Peterr Saturday December 11, 2010 9:00 am

From Sara Murray at the Wall Street Journal:

Some 42.9 million people collected food stamps last month, up 1.2% from the prior month and 16.2% higher than the same time a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Nationwide 14% of the population relied on food stamps as of September but in some states the percentage was much higher.

(Click through to check your state.)

14% is roughly one in seven. In DC, Mississippi, and Tennessee, it’s more one in five.

That’s right: one in five.

And the numbers are going up. Compared with last year, as Murray noted, they’re up 16% nationwide, but again, the state by state numbers are stunning. They’re up by more than 20% in 13 states, up by more than 25% in 6 states, and in Idaho they’re up by a whopping 39.1% over last year.

Continue reading at:  http://firedoglake.com/2010/12/11/one-in-seven-and-getting-worse/