The state had already secured October’s funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services. The Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, is also afloat for the month, and the state is still processing applications for both.

“We are issuing SNAP benefits as normal in October, but we have not yet been informed by USDA if funds will be provided for November, so we are awaiting further federal guidance,” a Utah Department of Workforce Services spokesperson said in a statement.

What happens in November is still uncertain without an agreement between Republicans and Democrats to fund the federal government. The pause in some government operations also brings questions about new requirements for nutrition programs mandated by the spending package widely known as the “big, beautiful bill.”

Starting Nov. 1, the government is expanding its work requirements for different assistance programs, including SNAP for people between 18 and 65 years old.

“States have not received a lot of guidance on that,” Gina Cornia, director at Utahns Against Hunger said on Monday. “And so we’re concerned about the impact that implementing those work requirements starting Nov. 1 will have because the Department of Workforce Services, if they need technical assistance and if they need policy guidance, there isn’t anyone right now at the USDA that is providing that.”

With the uncertainty, some advocacy groups, including Utahns Against Hunger, are planning on making a request to Gov. Spencer Cox this week to ask for a delay on implementing the changes in light of the government shutdown.

“Right now states can’t afford to implement new provisions without more guidance from the USDA,” Cornia said.

About 169,300 people in Utah received SNAP benefits during the 2024 fiscal year. If they don’t have those funds to feed their families, Cornia worries they’ll have to go without, or use other resources, which could overwhelm food pantries and food banks across the state.

“If they suddenly have to accommodate tens of thousands of more people, it’s just not going to happen,” Cornia said of the food banks. “They can’t fill that gap.”

Pantries are already seeing more people than ever before, Cornia said, and more so with reduced federal support for programs like the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for seniors. Adding more pressure could have “devastating” ripple effects.

Other shutdown effects

Funding has been shifted to approved expenses during the latest days of the shutdown — troops will get paid come Oct. 15 after the Pentagon “identified approximately $8 billion of unobligated research development testing and evaluation funds” from last fiscal year.

And WIC will remain afloat through the rest of the month with a $300 million transfer from its child nutrition programs account, which has long been funded in part by tariff revenue.

At Salt Lake City’s airport, operations by the Transportation Security Administration are running smoothly, said Nancy Volmer, director of communications and marketing at the airport.

“We’re keeping a close eye on it, and just if there are any sort of impacts, we’ll make sure that we get the word out to the passengers,” Volmer said. “But we’re just asking that passengers plan plenty of time in case there are any delays. And then also just to be kind to the workers up front, because this is a really difficult time for them.”