Again, Fewer Using Food Stamps

The number of Americans collecting food stamps fell again in May, continuing a trend that began in mid-1994 after four years of growth swelled the rolls of the government’s largest welfare program to record highs.

According to the Agriculture Department, 26.47 million people were receiving food stamps in May, compared with 27.5 million a year ago. May’s participation rates were also down from April 1995, when there were 26.73 million people on the rolls.

The department said May was the 10th month in a row in which food stamp participation rates were lower when compared with a year ago.