UC DATA

Estimates of the California food stamp participation rate by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA/FNS) are significantly biased downwards because they do not appropriately consider two distinctive features of California: its large population of ineligible immigrants and the fact that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients receive food stamp equivalents via California's food stamp cash-out. Whereas USDA/FNS calculates a food stamp participant access rate of 44 % for 1999, we estimate a food stamp participation rate of 80 % for the same calendar year. Our estimate of the rate for 1999 increases from 44 % to 58 % due to the exclusion of ineligible immigrants, and from 58 % to 80 % as a result of the food stamp cash-out for SSI recipients. For 2000 and 2001 we estimate the rates to be 80 % and 78%, respectively. Our calculations indicate that using appropriate comparisons, California'