These charts show the number of Americans receiving food stamps as reported by the United States Department of Agriculture. The total is now 46.3 million, which is more than the entire populations of many large nations.
The first chart shows monthly totals over the last several years (click charts to enlarge):
The second chart shows annual totals back to 1975:
Since the year 2000, the annual total has only declined once, in 2007.
The next chart shows the number of people added to the food-stamps program each month:
The spike in May 2011 was due to a surge in Alabama after an historic onslaught of giant tornadoes devastated the state. According to the USDA’s report, about 1 million disaster victims from several states were added to the rolls.
The decline in June 2011 was the first monthly decline since February 2008.
The next chart compares our food-stamp population to the total populations of selected nations:
The next chart shows the breakdown of participants by race (see table A.21 of this USDA report):
The next chart shows the number of individuals added to, or subtracted from, the food stamp rolls highlighted by presidential administration:
The next chart shows the numerical totals for each president. Keep in mind that not all presidents were in office for the same number of years. President Obama’s total is for the first three years of his administration:
When China was admitted to the World Trade Organization in 2001, tariffs were lowered, and it became very profitable for American companies to relocate production to China’s sweatshops. Millions of American jobs were lost, and those former workers have piled up on the food-stamp rolls:
Note: The numbers for Presidents Bush (43) and Obama are higher than they otherwise would have been because the government started to use food stamps for disaster relief starting in 2005 for Hurricane Katrina. See this PDF document for those numbers.
Note: The food-stamp rolls have exploded along with mass immigration. Take a look at my immigration charts.
Note: The annual totals used above are based on the federal government’s fiscal year, which begins in October.
Note: The USDA reports monthly food-stamp data with a two month delay.
Note to bloggers: You may use any of my charts on your blog as long as you include a link to this page. No hot-linking please.
Latest data: April 30, 2012
Next update: May 31, 2012
[...] stamp distribution under Obama has risen to heights never seen before. Somehow Levenstein and Mittelstad believe the policies of Obama driving more [...]
I crunched the demographic numbers at the US Census. While most food stamp recipients are White 63.7% and only 12.2% Black, when compared to the entire demographic, only 7% Whites are on food stamps and 24% Blacks are on food stamps. Further, your chart of the dramatic increase in the last 3 years, clearly shows that “Obama is the Food Stamp President”.
I’d be careful about this “Obama” thing. Under George W. Bush, individuals on Food Stamps jumped 100%. DOUBLED!!!! So far, there’s continued to be big increase, but under Obama it’s been a 39% increase in a very nasty recession (when you’d expect an increase).
Clearly folks need a lesson in cause and effect. Go back and look what happened after both Father & Son Bush-presidential terms.
[...] is as high as it ever was, that the number of people in the labor force at all has plummeted, that food stamp usage is as high or higher than it ever was, that the cost of food and energy (you know, what you eat, [...]
I wish there was a chart that separated disaster relief food stamp recipients from the general population of food stamp recipients.
Don’t forget that Obama also spent $787000000000 kdollars to “stimulate” the economy
[...] One million legal immigrants per year poured onto an economy already sagging with 13 millions unemployed, and 46 million on food stamps? [...]
This is exactly why this administration won’t clamp down on Illegal Immigration !! The POTUS is buying his votes with OUR OWN MONEY !!
And worst thing of it all…..If he isn’t voted out this time…..then “we the people” will be financing the destruction of our way of life !!…Every policy he instates…..all the decisions he makes or influences others to make on his behalf……has to do with 1 thing and 1 thing ONLY…. spending more and more and more taxpayer dollars…I believe he is deliberately trying to financially break us so he can change our system……Bye Bye to Liberties …..ABO !! This man is dangerous to us….he is NOT an AMERICAN –He hasn’t proved it ! Let’s vote him out people !..
@JB, Try facts for a change. More illegals are deported per year under Obama than under Bush. At a time when fewer illegals are coming here per year. Really, do some research. Turn off what ever totally biased news you might be listening to, and check some things out. You don’t have to change your mind and like Obama. But at least base your dislike on facts. You owe it to your country, if not yourself.
In 1996 AFDC ended and the states were block granted dollars for TANF, state administered Public Assistance program. One caveat, the federal govt required a time limit not to exceed 60 months. In addition, some states could provide as little as 3 years depending on the work requirements. If your “clock” runs out you are removed from the cash portion, and the food stamp amount increases. This started in 1996 we see by the charts what happened 5 years later- 2002 begins an increase of food stamp recipients, and the numbers are on the rise from there. Enter the housing bust, market crash, loss of jobs, natural disasters etc…I think that should shed some light on this topic.
Everyone knows cause and effect economic data is lagged. Food stamps, unemployment and budget deficits increased under Bush (‘W’). The unemployment rate actually began to decrease in late Oct. 2008 and, unfortunately has been a tough road since. But Bush dug a big hole from which Obama had to dig. The $15 billion/month Iraq War was largely funded by supplemental spending which was not included in their budget. And going to war against a country which had nothing to do with 911 cost money, lives and took our eyes off of Afghanistan. At the end of Bush’s administration, he and Paulsen began bailout and stimulus programs – which Obama continued – but most righties get their news from biased sources and never fact-check. But never mind that, the typical righty voter usually aligns themselves by prejudice and bias and vote in ignorance and, most especially, against their own financial interests. I don’t know too many righties who are making $300,000 but somehow the ‘Average Joe Righty’ making $40,000 thinks that going from 35% to a 37% upper tax bracket increase – which will cost them 2% on the $50,000 over $250,000 or a whole whopping $1,000. Wake up! If you want to help yourself, vote for the people who want to help you. Not the rich who say that if taxes are reduced then money will trickle down to the middle class. And yet the righties think that the Dems are starting class warfare!? Just the opposite; the righties have been working on class warfare since 1980 (6 of 8 of Clinton’s years involved a Republican-controlled Congress – and 2 of 4 of Obama’s. Bottom line: Democrats want to help all American because a rising tide floats all boats. The Republicans want to cut taxes for those who don’t need the help, make it tougher for the people they’ve thrown under the bus – and win elections.
FANTASTIC BOB. I WISH I COULD WRIGHT LIKE THAT! GOOD FOR YOU!!!
Bob–GREAT post. Bravo!
So foodstamps were increased during the 6years the Republicans controlled all three branches of congress.
The data doesn’t lie, people do, especially if they are working for the governement.
Republicans and Democrats are the same, they are governement representatives that line their own pockets, I know several in the local governement that are rich compared to me, one is a city clerk who brags about how easy her job is and how she gets to travel the world for free, thanks to us taxpayers.
Both parties are guilty, the governement is boken.