ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — Thousands of families in Rowan County, and more than 1.4 million people statewide, could see a delay in their November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as the federal government shutdown drags on .

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) confirmed it was directed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to delay the issuance of November benefits because federal funding has not yet been provided. While October benefits were not affected, state officials say there’s now a “significant risk” that November payments will not arrive on time or in full.

In a letter sent to state agencies, USDA also announced it would not use roughly $6 billion in contingency funds to keep the SNAP program running through November — no

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