What agency is responsible for the Food Stamp Program?
At the Federal level, the program is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Consumer Service (FCS). FCS pays for 100% of the coupons that are issued and half of the State administrative costs to operate the program. FCS also issues the rules that states follow in administering the program at the state level. Each State is responsible for its own program. In California, the Food Stamp Program is supervised at the state level by the California Department of Social Services and is administered at the local level by each county welfare department. • How many people receive food stamps in California? For the period July, 1996 through June, 1997, a monthly average of 2,930,071 persons received food stamps. The total value of the food stamps issued in this same period totaled approximately $2.5 billion. • Where do you apply for food stamps? In California, you must apply at the local county welfare department office in the county in which you reside. • Can someo
