Wisconsin will pay 75% of the administrative costs for FoodShare beginning Oct. 1, up from an even split with the federal government. The change under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to require about $43 million from the state, according to Jackie Anderson of Feeding Wisconsin. The added expense is separate from a potential federal penalty tied to the accuracy of benefit payments. Starting in 2027, states could be required to cover part of SNAP benefit costs if their payment error rate rises above 6%. Wisconsin’s rate was 5.72% in fiscal 2025, below the threshold and the national rate of more than 10.5%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Gov. Tony Evers’ office says Wisconsin is among nine states expected to avoid the penalty in 2027, potentially sparing taxpayers as much as $205 million. Anderson credited state investments in staffing and quality control, including more than $72 million authorized through 2025 Wisconsin Act 116, with helping keep the rate below the threshold. But she cautioned that new work-eligibility rules could make administration more difficult and push the error rate higher in future years. The governor’s office has said Wisconsin is also expected to absorb another $284 million in future budgets because of the federal law. Meanwhile, food pantries are reporting a surge in need as families contend with higher costs and changes to SNAP work requirements. In the Midwest, food prices rose 0.5% in August, with prices for groceries up 0.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. AAA reported Madison-area gas prices averaging $4.14 a gallon. At WayForward Resources in Dane County, Executive Director Leslie Albrecht Huber said 32% of county residents do not earn enough to cover basic needs such as food, transportation, child care and health care. About half the people coming to the pantry are seeking help for the first time, she said. Last week, the pantry served 245 households in a single day, its highest daily turnout in years. Over the past year, WayForward distributed three and a half times as much food as it did five years ago. Demand in the most recent quarter was 19% higher than in the same quarter last year. The organization is preparing for increased demand as the holiday season approaches. Anderson said donations are beginning to arrive as more people learn about food insecurity, but pantry leaders remain concerned about whether donations and supplies will keep pace with need. For families arriving at the pantry, Albrecht Huber said, uncertainty about how to provide food for their children is a major source of stress.