Unemployment is low, the labor market tight. But more Wisconsinites are on FoodShare, or food stamps, than before COVID

The number of people enrolled in the food assistance program FoodShare in Wisconsin remains above pre-pandemic levels, according to a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report.

As of April, a little over 700,000 people were enrolled in FoodShare, the Wisconsin program part of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, that helps low-income households buy food, according to the latest figures published by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

That's fewer than were enrolled in the program during a mid-2021 peak of nearly 800,000 participants, but higher than pre-pandemic levels, when the number enrolled hovered around 600,000 in the months before pandemic-related restrictions took effect in March 2020, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum report , released last week.

FoodShare levels remain high compared to the year before the pandemic, the report notes , despite similar unemployment rates and a competitive labor market.

FoodShare benefits are paid for by federal taxpayers , but the state and local governments in Wisconsin areresponsible for administering the program.

Here's what may be going on behind the numbers.

Relaxed eligibility rules likely part of higher FoodShare enrollment

Changes to the FoodShare program's eligibility requirements during the pandemic allowed more people to apply for or stay enrolled in FoodShare during the pandemic.

Those changes included exemptions to the work requirement for able-bodied adults without children at home .

Though many of the pandemic-era changes have ended, some exemptions still apply in parts of Wisconsin .

For example, the exemption from the work requirement for able-bodied adults still applies in the cities of Milwaukee and Racine, as well as four counties and on tribal lands and reservations, at least through September, according to a waiver granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture .

The state of Wisconsin applied for the waiver last year, citing "insufficient jobs" and higher unemployment rates in those places than the national average. The waiver application pointed to unemployment rates of 5.2% or higher in those places over the two years from February 2021 to January 2023, while the national average was around 4.4% during that time.

High grocery prices may be leading more to seek FoodShare help

The report also notes that steep increases in the cost of living in recent years may have led more people to apply for FoodShare benefits, especially retirees and others on fixed incomes.

The cost of groceries is much higher now than before the pandemic . Grocery prices are up 25% compared to four years ago.

Rising prices have hit consumers in other areas, too. Housing costs more, cars cost more, insurance costs more.

The report says that the low unemployment rate may obscure a more complex picture, too.

The report says it's possible that a portion of the working-age population has become "underemployed" and are working fewer hours or in low-paying jobs that don't match their skills.

Report suggests Wisconsin residents became more aware of FoodShare during the pandemic

The report suggests that widespread job losses early in the pandemic may have led people who previously were qualified for FoodShare to apply for the program for the first time.

The report says awareness of the program likely grew during the pandemic, partly due to increased funding for reaching out to people in need and helping them apply for the program.

"At the same time, stigma surrounding the use of this public welfare program may have lessened, reducing barriers that may have prevented some people from applying in the past," the report said.

"These factors may have resulted in some new enrollees remaining in the program even as unemployment fell," the report added.

What other resources are available to Wisconsin residents?

The Impact 211 help line can help connect people to local resources. Dial 211 or 877-947-2211.

Find local food pantries by using Feeding America-Eastern Wisconsin's Food Pantry Locator at https://feedingamericawi.org/find-help/ or by texting MKEFOOD to 898-211.

Other resources are available at https://dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare/resources.htm or at findhelp.org .

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's recommendations on healthy eating on a tight budget are available at https://tinyurl.com/eat-right-when-money-tight .

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Unemployment is low, the labor market tight. But more Wisconsinites are on FoodShare, or food stamps, than before COVID