PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Mikayla Ortega
Communications Director
505-718-3212
mortega@nmvoices.org

Payment error rates reflect administrative complexity—not fraud—and should not be used to justify deep cuts to food assistance programs.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – June 23, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to release fiscal year 2025 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rate data by June 30. As reporters prepare to cover the release, New Mexico Voices for Children is urging caution against a common misconception: SNAP payment error rates do not measure fraud.

The distinction comes as Congress prepares to debate the future of SNAP funding and administration through the Farm Bill. Advocates say payment error rates are increasingly being cited in discussions about shifting more program costs to states, despite the fact that the metric was not designed to measure participant fraud or program abuse.

Congress is expected to consider Farm Bill legislation that could either maintain recent changes shifting a portion of SNAP costs to states or reverse those changes and preserve the federal government’s long standing role in funding benefits.

What SNAP Payment Error Rates Measure

SNAP payment error rates measure whether the correct benefit amount was issued based on program rules and available documentation. The metric includes both overpayments and underpayments and is used to assess payment accuracy.

Payment error rates do not measure intentional fraud by SNAP participants.

Errors can occur for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Administrative processing mistakes
  • Missing or delayed paperwork
  • Complex eligibility and reporting requirements
  • Changes in household circumstances that have not yet been reported
  • Staffing shortages and caseworker turnover

What SNAP Payment Error Rates Do Not Measure

Payment error rates do not represent:

  • Participant fraud
  • Criminal activity
  • Intentional misuse of benefits
  • Program abuse by households receiving SNAP

Federal fraud investigations and trafficking rates are tracked separately. According to the Congressional Research Service, trafficking and other forms of intentional fraud represent a small share of SNAP expenditures.

Why This Matters for the Farm Bill

In the coming weeks, Senate Agriculture Committee leaders are expected to advance Farm Bill legislation that does not include provisions to reverse the SNAP cost shift to states enacted through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Debate over federal SNAP funding has increasingly focused on payment error rates. NM Voices warn that treating payment errors as a measure of fraud can create a misleading picture of program integrity and may unfairly penalize states facing administrative challenges.

“Before policymakers use these numbers to justify major changes to SNAP, it is essential to understand what the data actually measure,” said Emily Wildau, Policy Director at New Mexico Voices for Children. “Payment accuracy and fraud are not the same thing, and conflating the two risks harming families who depend on food assistance.”

Key Facts for Reporters

  • Payment error rates measure payment accuracy, not fraud.
  • The metric includes both overpayments and underpayments.
  • Most payment errors stem from administrative and procedural issues.
  • Federal fraud and trafficking rates are measured separately.
  • Experts caution against using payment error rates alone to assess program integrity.
  • Reducing payment errors requires strong federal-state partnerships and continued investment in administrative systems.

For additional information about SNAP payment error rates and program integrity measures, contact Mikayla Ortega, Communications Director at mortega@nmvoices.org.

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New Mexico Voices for Children is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating for policies to improve the health and well-being of New Mexico’s children, families and communities.
301 Gold Ave SW Suite 201, Albuquerque, NM 87102; 505-244-9505 (p); www.nmvoices.org