TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced in a July 30, 2025, letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that, at this time, the agency is denying the USDA’s demand for the release of personal information of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicants, recipients and members of their households.
The requested data would include sensitive personal information for any Kansan who lived in a household that applied for and/or received SNAP benefits from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 30, 2025. The data request includes, but is not limited to, names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and addresses. The purpose of the USDA demand is to create a federal database of SNAP participant information that may be disclosed to other federal, state and local agencies. In addition to personal data of Kansans, the data request includes retailer and business data documenting SNAP usage.
The USDA stated in its July 25, 2025, letter to state agency directors that state agencies must be compliant with the requirement to transmit this data to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) no later than July 30, 2025.
DCF is required by state and federal law to protect personal identifiable SNAP data except when strictly necessary for the administration of the SNAP program. In response to the USDA data request, states have filed suit, see California et al. v. U.S. Dep’t of Agriculture et al., Civ. Action No. 3:25-6310 (N.D. Cal.), to stop the forced production of this data. Releasing the requested information at this time could put DCF in the position of potential liability if a court finds that the USDA’s demand violates federal law.
“DCF is committed to the security of Kansans’ personal information and maintaining confidentiality consistent with state and federal law,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “This demand for personal information goes beyond the scope of administering the program and puts in jeopardy the privacy of hundreds of thousands of Kansans who depend on SNAP to put food on their tables.”
DCF will monitor the pending litigation and continue to administer and enforce SNAP in accordance with federal and state law.