OCR Text |
Show Food Stamp Allotments To Increase On Jan. 1 Food sump allotment for a family of four will Increase on January 1 from (150 to $154, based on August food price statistics, according to an announcement today by Under Secretary of Agriculture J. Phil Campbell. The Food Stamp Act, as amended by the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-86), requires that coupon allotments be adjusted semiannually to reflect changes in the prices of food as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Allotment adjustments are based on the cost of the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) economy food plan as It is computed from Bureau of Labor Statistics food prices. The law requiring semiannual adjustments specified that the January 1974 adjustment reflect changes in food prices through August 1973. A similar procedure was used for the July 1974 adjustment and is being used for the January 1975 increase in the value of the coupon allotment, which is based on the cost of the economy food plan in August 1974. Cost of the economy food plan for August was $153.40 for a family of four with school children. Accordingly, USDA will raise the value of the coupon allotment from $150 to $154 for a family of four and make appropriate adjustments for other household sizes. The maximum income eligibility standard for the four-person household will increase from $500 to $513. The following tables giving coupon allotments, Income eligibility standards and purchase requirements for all household sizes In the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia are scheduled for publication in the Federal Register of Monday, Nov; 18, 1974. Separate tables for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam will be announced shortly. Maximum income eligibility standards by household size starting Jan 1 are: One, $194; Two, $280; Three, $406; Four, $513, Five, $606; Six, $700; Seven, $793; Eight $886. For each additional household member over eight, add $73 to the eight-person eligibility level. |