Georgia among states possibly facing costs because high SNAP payment error rates

Georgia is one of dozens of states that could have to fork over millions of dollars to provide food aid to lower-income residents if officials don't cut down on payment errors in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a first look at the error rates, the review of which is part of a cost-sharing requirement included in a big tax-and-spending law signed by President Trump.

The error rate refers to the percentage of SNAP benefits paid either above or below what people should have received, primarily because of mistakes. While low-error states are guaranteed to owe nothing when the annual cost-sharing requirement begins in October 2027, others will have another year to try to reduce their errors and decrease the hit to their budgets.

States with high error rates will have to make choices that could impact their residents. To fund SNAP benefits, do they spend less on public schools, law enforcement, or mental health care? To save money, do they squeeze people off SNAP by making it harder to stay in the program? Or do they drop out entirely from the federal food aid program that's been around for decades?

"There are billions of dollars that are at stake that states will have to find the money to be able to pay if they want to continue to operate a SNAP program," said Chloe Green, assistant director for policy at the American Public Human Services Association.

At 15.21% - the majority of which is overpayment - Georgia is the state with the fourth highest error rate. The Peach State is only behind Alaska, New Mexico, and Delaware, with error rates of 23.15%, 16.81%, and 16%, respectively.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known informally as food stamps, provides monthly payments to help low-income residents to buy food. More than 37 million people nationwide received SNAP benefits in March, according to preliminary USDA figures. That's down nearly 5 million people — over 11% — from a year earlier.

A law signed by Mr. Trump last July expanded requirements for many adult SNAP recipients to work, volunteer, or participate in job training. The new work and cost-share requirements are intended to increase accountability for participants and states — and to provide federal savings that offset new tax cuts.

"These payment error rates are further proof that state accountability is severely lacking in SNAP," said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Administrative costs for SNAP are currently split 50-50 between the federal government and states. But federal law requires states to start paying 75% of SNAP administrative costs this October.

The federal government currently covers the full cost of SNAP benefits provided to people. But beginning in October 2027, states with SNAP error rates of 6% or greater could have to pay a portion of the benefits.

The error rates released Wednesday, which cover the 2025 fiscal year, are the first that matter. Federal law says states can choose to use either their 2025 or 2026 error rates when determining what percentage of SNAP benefits they must pay starting in October 2027.

South Dakota had the lowest error rate last year at about 2.5%. Nebraska had an error rate of 5.9% — just barely below the cutoff to avoid paying part of the SNAP benefits. Other states with error rates below 6% were Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Vermont, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Federal law sets a sliding scale for how much money states must pay toward SNAP benefits. States with error rates between 6%-8% will have to eventually pay 5% of the benefit costs. Those with error rates between 8%-10% will have to pay 10% of benefit costs. And those with error rates over 10% will have to pay 15% of benefit costs.

An exception in the federal law gives states with the highest error rates, such as Georgia,  more time to try to reduce them. States with error rates of at least 13.34% last year will receive a delay in their cost-share requirements until at least the 2029 fiscal year.

More states still have a shot at getting an extension. States whose error rates are at least 13.34% in 2026 could have their cost-sharing requirements delayed until the 2030 fiscal year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.