The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP nationally and CalFresh in California, is the nation’s largest nutrition assistance program. It supports over 41 million families with low-income by providing monthly food benefits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently proposed the development of a National SNAP Information Database, which would require states to transmit SNAP participant data to USDA by July 30, 2025. The Nutrition Policy Institute submitted a public comment expressing concern, highlighting USDA’s lack of clarity on what data to submit, failure to provide legitimate reasons for requesting participants’ personal data, and duplication of existing systems to validate participant eligibility and strengthen program integrity. Furthermore, NPI expressed concern that the sharing of personal data could deter potential participants from seeking food assistance, resulting in increased hunger and malnutrition, leading to worse health outcomes and academic outcomes for children. The resulting rise in healthcare costs could outweigh any federal savings from decreased SNAP program participation. Read the full comment online.