As Devastating GOP SNAP CUTS ARE SET to Shift COST of Critical FOOD Assistance to States and County Taxpayers, Schumer Calls to Delay COST Shifts and SAVE Southern TIER County Budgets FROM Footing a...

Last Year Trump And Republicans Made The Largest Cut To SNAP In History – NEARLY $200 BILLION – Meaning Now Southern Tier Counties Will Need To Find A Whopping $4.5+ MILLION To Keep Nutrition Assistance Flowing To Food-Needy Families, Seniors, and Veterans, Including $806,000 For Broome County, $780,000 For Chemung County, And Nearly $500,000 For Tompkins County Schumer Calls On NY House Republicans To Work With Democrats To Write A Farm Bill That Restores SNAP & Helps 85,000 New Yorkers In The Southern Tier Put Food On The Table Schumer: Families & Children Should Not Go Hungry – Any Farm Bill Must Protect SNAP As New York counties scramble to find funding to keep SNAP alive after Republicans’ so-called One Big Beautiful Bill made the largest cuts to nutrition assistance programs in history, and Congressional Republicans refuse to act , U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today revealed county-by-county data showing how looming cuts would impact the Southern Tier and announced his support of a two-year delay in cost shifts. In New York, counties administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), meaning $4.5 million in new annual costs will fall directly on county budgets in the Southern Tier, forcing counties to choose between raising local taxes or cutting food assistance for families and seniors in need. As Congress works on the upcoming Farm Bill, Schumer is urging New York House Republicans to work with Democrats to meet the needs of families suffering from the skyrocketing cost of living and stand with local elected officials, food banks, and families against these cuts. “85,000 New York families, kids, and seniors across the Southern Tier depend on SNAP to put food on the table. But last year, Republicans passed the largest unkind cut to SNAP in history, forcing Southern Tier counties and their taxpayers to pick up the tab,” said Senator Schumer. “Now, Republicans want to move forward with a Farm Bill that would do nothing for hungry families or the counties. This plan will immediately blow a $4.5 million hole in Southern Tier county budgets, and counties across the state will be forced to choose between raising local taxes and cutting food assistance for hungry kids, seniors, veterans, and families.” Schumer added, “That’s why I will NOT support a Farm Bill that does not provide more time for states and counties to prepare to shoulder the cost of SNAP. A Republican Farm Bill that abandons hungry families is not a serious proposal. I urge New York House Republicans to come back to the table and write a Farm Bill that actually meets the moment: supporting farmers, strengthening rural America, protecting families, and ensuring Americans have enough to eat.” “SNAP is a vital program for thousands of Broome County residents, and our priority will always be making sure eligible individuals, families, seniors, and veterans can access the assistance they need,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. “We’re grateful to Senator Schumer for his efforts to help counties navigate these changes and provide additional time to prepare.” “With a turbulent economy affecting all individuals in Tompkins County, we are seeing a direct attack on our most vulnerable neighbors. Many families are already struggling to get by, living paycheck to paycheck. Cuts to SNAP benefits place an even greater burden on counties that are already stretched thin while denying people one of the most basic necessities for survival: food,” said Shawna Black, Chair of the Tompkins County Legislature. “At a time when so many Americans are working hard just to make ends meet, our priority should be ensuring that no child, senior, or working family goes hungry. We should be strengthening the programs that help people through difficult times, not weakening them. These cuts do not represent the America our Founding Fathers envisioned.” “At a time when our Food Bank is responding to record demand and thousands of Southern Tier residents have lost or are at risk of losing SNAP benefits, counties across our region are being asked to absorb significant new costs to administer this essential federal nutrition program,” said Mark Bordeau, President & CEO of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. “That burden will fall especially hard on rural communities already navigating tight budgets and persistent staffing shortages. Without adequate time, funding and federal guidance, these changes could strain county services, increase pressure on local taxpayers, and make it harder for families to put food on the table. Food security is not a partisan issue. We urge members of Congress to work together to delay the SNAP administrative cost shift and give counties the resources needed to implement these changes responsibly while protecting access for children, older adults, veterans, and working families.” The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States and a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY children, seniors, veterans, and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Last year, Trump and Congressional Republicans rushed to pass a nearly $200 billion cut to SNAP, ripping away food from thousands of hungry kids and families across America. Since SNAP is administered by counties in New York State, counties will be forced to shoulder the burden of increased SNAP costs, using more local dollars to administer the program because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient funding. As Congress works on a five-year Farm Bill, which governs federal agricultural, food, and conservation programs, Schumer has said Democrats cannot support a Farm Bill until Republicans agree to include the two-year delay to the SNAP cost shift. Just last month , Senate Republicans released the text of a five-year Farm Bill that fails to address SNAP cuts. In April , House Republicans passed a five-year Farm Bill that also failed to address SNAP cuts. Democrats stand united against any Farm Bill that does not include a two-year cost shift delay for SNAP, which would provide parity for New York with other states, like Alaska, which do not have to begin shouldering the cost of SNAP for another two years. There have been strong bipartisan calls to reverse course from governors , mayors , and state legislatures to support the cost-shift delay. Federal cuts are already forcing Southern Tier counties to adjust their budgets. For example: The 2026 Broome County budget said that continued uncertainty at the federal level is putting pressure on the county budget. The 2026 Chemung County budget said that as federal support shrinks, the county’s ability to address resident needs without increasing local property taxes is limited. The 2026 Steuben County budget said that federal legislation poses both immediate and long-term threats to critical funds that support mandated services and specifically references an annual loss of $1 million in funding for SNAP with a potential for $4 million more. According to a report from the New York State Association of Counties, 85,736 New Yorkers in the Southern Tier receive more than $200 million in annual benefits through SNAP. The planned cost shift is expected to leave counties with an additional $4.5+ million in annual budget costs, at the same time as counties are already managing state and federal mandates, workforce shortages, rising service demands, and the property tax cap. A breakdown of annual benefits paid, individuals served, and county cost increases for counties in the Southern Tier can be found below: County Annual Benefits Paid Individuals Served County Cost Increase Allegany $10,873,117 5,009 $364,455 Broome $59,661,187 25,407 $806,649 Chemung $33,302,535 13,177 $780,482 Chenango $14,108,765 6,281 $308,368 Delaware $9,820,610 4,439 $292,380 Otsego $14,446,322 6,345 $263,459 Schuyler $3,891,570 1,692 $241,351 Steuben $25,542,315 11,405 $672,625 Tioga $10,213,833 4,837 $293,605 Tompkins $18,164,462 7,144 $494,709 TOTAL $200,024,716 85,736 $4,518,083 ###