SNAP AND WIC ACCOUNT FOR 10% GROCERY SALES IN THE UNITED STATES. IN 2017, SNAP BENEFITS WERE ACCEPTED AT 263,105 FIRMS. DESPITE THEIR IMPORTANCE TO STORES, WE KNOW LITTLE ABOUT HOW FOOD ASSISTANCE AFFECTS FIRMS OR THE FOOD RETAIL ENVIRONMENT. THIS PROJECT BRIDGES THAT GAP.TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF SNAP AND WIC ON FOOD RETAIL, WE LOOK AT LARGE POLICY CHANGES TO FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. FOR SNAP, WE EVALUATE (1) THE INTRODUCTION OF FOOD STAMPS, (2) THE MOVE FROM PAPER COUPONS TO DEBIT CARDS, (3) CHANGES IN IMMIGRANT ELIGIBILITY, AND (4) BENEFIT INCREASES IN 2009 AND DECREASES IN 2013. FOR WIC WE EVALUATE (5) THE INTRODUCTION OF WIC, (6) A CHANGE IN FOODS PROVIDED IN 2009, AND (7) THE MOVE FROM PAPER VOUCHERS TO DEBIT CARDS. TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF THESE POLICY SHIFTS, WE APPLY MODERN CAUSAL RESEARCH DESIGNS TO NOVEL DATA. WE COMBINE DATA FROM GOVERNMENT SURVEYS (E.G. CENSUS OF BUSINESS), ADMINISTRATIVE DATA (STORE PARTICIPATION LISTS, BENEFIT REDEMPTION BY COUNTY OR ZIP), AND COMMERCIAL DATA (TDLINX, NIELSEN COMPANY SCANNER DATA, DUN & BRADSTREET FIRM DATA). BY COMBINING THESE DATA, WE CAN EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF POLICY SHIFTS ON STORE NUMBERS, STORE SALES, AND STORE EMPLOYMENT.

University Of California, Davis

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