(MENAFN) The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that food assistance for over 40 million Americans will cease starting in November due to the ongoing government shutdown. The agency said on its website that “the well has run dry,” blaming the deadlock on Democrats in the Senate.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports about one in eight Americans, is a crucial source of help for families struggling with grocery costs. However, the Trump administration declined to use an emergency reserve earlier this month that could have temporarily extended benefits, arguing that the funds must be preserved for natural disasters or other unforeseen crises.

Democratic lawmakers sharply criticized the move. “This is perhaps the most cruel and unlawful offence the Trump administration has perpetrated yet,” Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and Angie Craig said in a joint statement. They also condemned the administration for continuing to fund overseas aid and projects like a new White House ballroom while domestic food assistance runs dry.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), the contingency fund would only cover about 60% of a single month’s benefits. Even so, House Democrats argued in a letter to the USDA that “significant funding” remains in SNAP’s reserve — money that Congress specifically allocated for situations like the current shutdown. They urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to release the funds and reallocate internal resources to sustain the program through November.

Rollins responded in a memo that the reserves are meant for “true emergencies,” primarily natural disasters. Her department’s earlier shutdown plan had stated that a limited number of employees would remain on duty to maintain basic program operations, as multi-year contingency funds were created to allow states to continue providing aid.

SNAP distributes benefits through reloadable debit cards used for purchasing groceries. On average, a family of four receives around $715 per month — about $6 per day per person, according to CBPP data. States administer the program, but most of the funding comes from the federal government.

While some states have pledged to use local funds to fill temporary gaps, federal officials have warned they will not reimburse those expenses. In Massachusetts, where around one million residents rely on SNAP, officials admitted they lack the resources to sustain the program independently.

Several states are now collaborating with charities and food banks to direct families toward emergency food support. In California, the National Guard has been mobilized to assist with food distribution.

The shutdown, now in its 26th day, has become the second-longest in US history — with no immediate resolution in sight.

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