Illinois could lose more than $18 million in funding if it doesn’t accelerate the processing times on food stamp applications within the next month, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said. The USDA, which administers the food stamp program, sent the Illinois Department of Human Services a letter stating that the state agency has until April 21 to significantly improve timeliness or develop an effective strategy to make it happen, the Chicago Tribune reported. The state agency has pledged to fix the food stamp, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, problems, which it says happened under former Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration.
