The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) has given Arizona the OK to test out a program the state said is aimed at reducing fraud and illegal trafficking in food stamp cards.
There are currently nearly a million Arizonans who get benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP; those benefits come in the form of electronic benefit cards.
Cynthia Zwick, executive director of the Arizona Community Action Association, talked about this two-year waiver granted by the USDA.
The Show also reached out to Gov. Doug Ducey’s office on this. They referred us to a statement he made in a USDA press release:
"I appreciate Secretary Perdue’s willingness to work with states to improve the administration of this program. Through this policy, we can provide a hand up to those in need while ensuring we have the tools necessary to crack down on fraud and protect taxpayers.”
