A federal nutrition education program that saved more than it cost has been quietly eliminated under President Donald Trump, even as his administration promotes healthier lifestyles.
SNAP-Ed, launched in 1977 as the education arm of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, taught over 1.2 million low-income Americans each year how to stretch benefits, plan meals and cook healthier food, at a cost of about one cent for every SNAP dollar. Studies compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found every dollar invested in such community education saved roughly US$10.64 in Medicaid spending, largely by lowering risks for chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes.
Despite these returns, SNAP-Ed was defunded on Oct. 1, 2025 as part of Trump’s tax and budget package, forcing states and universities to scramble for stopgap funding while its online materials remain available. Read the original analysis at The Conversation.