13 States Opted Out Of A USDA Summer Food Program For Children

For 2024, 13 states opted out of participating in the new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) summer electronic benefits transfer (Summer EBT) program for children, called SUN Bucks. The states that chose not to participate in Summer EBT are Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

The law that authorized Summer EBT requires states to cover 50% of the administrative costs. A USDA spokesperson said the agency does not have discretion in this area. The spokesperson said the exact costs will vary substantially by state depending on their use of . . .