NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Tens of millions of dollars in food assistance payments to North Carolina residents were delayed over a four-year period, with state health officials failing to take corrective action despite persistent problems, according to a state audit released this week.

The performance audit from the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor found that about $83 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were distributed late between January 2021 and December 2024. More than 290,000 payments did not meet federal timeliness requirements.

Among the hardest-hit areas was Davidson County, which had the worst performance in the state, with nearly one-quarter of SNAP payments delayed between 2022 and 2024. Other counties with high rates of late payments i

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