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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says about 80,000 residents have lost access to SNAP after federal rule changes, including 24,655 children and 6,572 seniors. State data cited in the report show nearly 547,000 Kentuckians were receiving assistance, down from 627,164 in October 2025.
About 80,000 Kentuckians have lost access to food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) under federal rule changes, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Kentucky’s congressional delegation. Beshear said the group includes 24,655 children and 6,572 seniors, and asked federal officials to act as the decline affects people who rely on the program to buy food.
The figures come from Beshear, who cited a reduction in the number of people receiving SNAP in Kentucky. State data show that the program currently serves 286,921 households. Beshear said just under 547,000 individuals were receiving assistance, compared with 627,164 in October 2025. The source does not provide a detailed breakdown of when each person lost benefits or how the total was calculated.
Kentucky households receiving SNAP get an average of $346 a month, according to state data. That figure gives an indication of the monthly assistance at stake for participating households, but it is an average and does not describe the amount any particular household receives. The reported loss of access is separate from the state’s count of households currently enrolled.
The federal changes were included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a budget law passed by Congress in 2025. The report says that in November, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, recent foster care youth and adults ages 54 to 64 were no longer exempt from SNAP work requirements. The change means members of those groups may have to meet work requirements to receive benefits for themselves and their families; the source does not detail individual cases or exemptions that may still apply.
Kentucky Families Face Less Food Aid
The reported decline matters because SNAP helps households pay for groceries, and the average Kentucky household benefit is $346 monthly. Losing eligibility or access can reduce the food budget available to families, although the source does not measure the effect on food purchases or food insecurity for the people counted.
The number of children named by Beshear—24,655—puts the policy change’s potential reach beyond adult recipients. Beshear also warned that children could lose dependable food sources through school meals and summer programs, but the supplied report does not establish how many children have lost those services or whether any program changes have already taken effect. Those outcomes should be distinguished from the confirmed claim about SNAP access.
The figures also provide a statewide measure of the impact Beshear attributes to federal policy. They do not, on their own, show how many affected people are unable to buy food, whether they qualify for other aid, or how the change is affecting food banks and local services. Those details would help clarify the practical consequences for communities.
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Federal SNAP Rules Changed in 2025
SNAP is a federally funded food-benefit program administered through state systems. The report ties the Kentucky figures to changes in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including a shift in which certain groups are exempt from work requirements. Those requirements affect whether some adults can receive SNAP for themselves and their families.
The figures offer two different snapshots: Beshear said the number receiving assistance fell from 627,164 in October 2025 to just under 547,000, while state data list 286,921 households currently receiving benefits. The source does not specify the exact date of the current count, so the period covered by the comparison cannot be determined more precisely from the report.
“Take action to ensure our most vulnerable citizens, including children and the elderly, do not go hungry for reasons beyond their control.”
— Gov. Andy Beshear, in his letter to federal officials
How the Benefit Losses Were Counted
The reported total of about 80,000 people is attributed to Beshear. The source does not provide an underlying case count, explain the calculation, or state whether all those people lost benefits for the same reason. It also does not clarify how many may have lost eligibility specifically because of the revised work requirements.
The timing and geographic distribution of the losses are also unclear. The report gives an October 2025 comparison point but does not date the current figure or show when recipients’ benefits ended. It does not include a response from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Secretary Rollins, or the congressional delegation, nor does it say whether a federal review or policy response is underway.
Beshear’s statements that people are facing hunger and that children may lose other food sources are his warnings about the changes. The source does not provide independent data confirming the extent of hunger or documenting changes to school meal and summer programs.
Federal Officials Asked to Respond
Beshear has asked Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Kentucky’s congressional delegation to take action. The source does not report a response or identify a specific federal remedy, so it remains unknown whether officials will review the figures, adjust implementation, or change the rules.
Further updates would need to clarify the basis and timing of the 80,000 figure, the number of people affected by each provision, and whether those who lost SNAP can regain benefits or access other support. The original report says it may be updated, but gives no schedule for additional information.
Key Questions
How many Kentuckians have reportedly lost SNAP access?
Gov. Andy Beshear said about 80,000 Kentuckians have lost access under federal program changes. The source does not provide the underlying case-level data or calculation.
How many children and seniors are included?
Beshear said the total includes 24,655 children and 6,572 seniors.
What federal changes are connected to the reported decline?
The report links the change to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in 2025. It says several groups, including veterans, people experiencing homelessness, recent foster care youth and adults ages 54 to 64, lost exemptions from SNAP work requirements in November.
How much SNAP assistance does a Kentucky household receive on average?
State data cited in the report put the average at $346 per month for households receiving SNAP. Individual benefit amounts can differ; the report does not give a range.
Have federal officials responded to Beshear’s request?
The supplied report does not include a response from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Secretary Brooke Rollins or Kentucky’s congressional delegation.
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