IMPACT OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGES IN THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM ON HIRED FARMWORKER FAMILIES

In September 1977, legislation was enacted to make major reforms in the Food Stamp Program. Two of the more significant changes included the elimination of the purchase requirement for stamps and the adoption of more rigorous financial criteria for eligibility. Using data from the 1975 Hired Farm Working Force Survey, these program modifications were examined to determine their impact on the eligibility and participation of hired farmworker families. Elimination of the purchase requirement will increase the food stamp participation of some eligible families while adoption of new eligibility criteria will considerably reduce the population of eligible farmworker families. Data reviewed here suggest that these program modifications may have different effects on various subgroups and that future research should closely examine these differential impacts