US States Ohio and Georgia Challenge New SNAP Fraud Rules

Republican‑led Ohio and Georgia are suing the USDA over the Trump administration’s new fraud‑crackdown rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The states contend that the inspector general’s methodology inflates fraud numbers, arguing that most flagged payments are routine errors. Ohio’s disputed fraud estimate fell from $59.7 million to $13.3 million, while Georgia reduced a $300 million claim by about 95 percent after challenging the data. Former USDA deputy undersecretary Stacy Dean said, “It concerns me when they’re potentially inflating the findings and undermining public trust in the programs.”

At the same time, USDA data show the national SNAP payment error rate was 10.62 % in fiscal year 2025, well above the 6 % benchmark that will trigger state‑level cost‑sharing under the new law. Forty‑one states and Washington, D.C. exceed the threshold, with Alaska posting the highest error rate at 23.15 %. States that cannot meet the benchmark risk bearing additional expenses, potentially leading to reduced food assistance for vulnerable households.