>> Eric: WELCOME TO ALMANAC.

WE'LL GET TO THE BIG ST.

PAUL MAYORAL DEBATE IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES.

WE'RE GOING TO COVER SOME OTHER NEWS FIRST INCLUDING A LOOK AT SOYBEAN FARMING IN MINNESOTA AND HOW TRUMP'S VISIT TO CHINA COULD CHANGE THINGS IN FARM COUNTRY.

>> Cathy: YEP, WE START WITH THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, AS THE CALENDAR TURNS TO NOVEMBER 1ST, SATURDAY, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS INDICATED THAT S.N.A.P.

WILL END WITH TWO FEDERAL JUDGES RULING ON COURT CASES FRIDAY AND AN APPEAL POSSIBLE BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

MORE THAN 440,000 MINNESOTANS RELY ON THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

NOW, EARLIER THIS WEEK GOVERNOR WALZ ANNOUNCED ONE-TIME EMERGENCY STATE FUNDING OR FOOD SHELVES TO HELP.

COMMISSIONER TIKKI BROWN ED HEADS UP THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES WHICH OVERSEES S.N.A.P.

IN THE STATE.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Cathy: LOT OF UNCERTAINTY FOR FOLKS, OBVIOUSLY.

TWO FEDERAL JUDGES AS I MENTIONED RULED TODAY AND THAT THEY SAY THAT THIS HOLDING BACK OF THE FUNDS IS NOT LAWFUL, THAT THE CONTINGENCY FUNDS APPROVED BY CONGRESS NEED TO TO BELEASED.

SO WHAT DO WE KNOW TONIGHT AND WHAT'S THE PLAN TOMORROW?

IS >> SURE, A LOT OF INFORMATION COMING IN FAST AND CERTAINLY GOOD NEWS IN TERMS OF THE JUDGES' DECISION TO RELEASE BENEFITS.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, HOWEVER, IS HOW MUCH FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN FACT TO BE RELEASED AND THE TIMING.

SO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS INFORMATION THAT IS DUE ON MONDAY WHICH WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE TIMING OF WHEN WE CAN BEGIN TO ISSUE NOVEMBER BENEFITS FOR THE 440,000 MINNESOTANS.

>> Eric: THE MONEY COMES IN AN EBT CARD WHICH IS LIKE CREDIT CARD.

>> CORRECT.

>> Eric: HOW LONG DO THOSE TAKE TO GET RECHARGED?

IS THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS, OR?

>> URE, SO GENERALLY ENEFITS RECHARGE OR ARE REFILLED ON THE EBT CARD MONTHLY.

AND SO IN MINNESOTA IT ACTUALLY BEGINS N THE FOURTH OF NOVEMBER, THE FOURTH THROUGH 16TH ON A ROLLING BASIS.

SO WE DO HAVE A FEW DAYS IN WHICH HOPEFULLY THINGS COULD GET FIGURED OUT BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT FOR USDA TO GET THEIR DUCKS IN A ROW.

THAT AT ONE POINT THEY HAD 1200 WORKERS BEFORE THE SHUTDOWN, AND WE LEARNED THAT THERE WERE ONLY 40 REMAINING.

SO WE ANTICIPATE IT WILL TAKE TIME TO GET PEOPLE BACK.

AND GET HINGS MOVING AGAIN.

>> Cathy: OF COURSE WE DON'T KNOW IF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL APPEAL AND THIS COULD BE HELD UP IN THE COURTS.

SO IF THAT HAPPENS THE $4 MILLION THE STATE HAS FREED UP FOR FOOD SHELVES AND THAT'S ONE-TIME MONEY, HOW MUCH MIGHT THAT HELP?

>> SURE, IT'S REALLY A DROP IN THE BUCKET AS WE THINK ABOUT THE 73 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDS THAT COME IN EVERY MONTH WITH THE S.N.A.P.

PROGRAM.

BUT IT DOES HELP.

WE KNOW THAT FOOD SHELVES ACROSS THE STATE RE REALLY STRUGGLING.

THEY ARE SEEING RECORD NUMBERS OF PEOPLE AND WE KNOW THAT S.N.A.P.

RECIPIENTS WILL TURN TO THE FOOD SHELVES TO REALLY HELP MAKE ENDS MEAL IN THIS REALLY UNCERTAIN TIME.

>> Eric: CLIENTELE OES BEYOND INNER CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS AND ST.

PAUL.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS STATEWIDE.

THE FOOD SHELVES NETWORK IS 300 ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.

AND THE S.N.A.P.

POPULATIONS IS ABOUT 40% IN METRO AND 60% STATEWIDE.

>> Eric: NUMBER OF KIDS, LOT OF THEM I SUPPOSE.

>> QUITE A BIT, THE LARGEST POPULATION S CHILDREN AND SENIORS AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS.

>> Cathy: DOES THIS SITUATION ALSO AFFECT THE WIC PROGRAM?

THE WOMEN, INFANT AND CHILDREN FOOD PROGRAM?

DO YOU KNOW IF THAT'S ALSO AFFECTED BY THIS?

>> IT IS, IT IS IMPACTED BY THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN.

THEY HAVE HAD SOME DIFFERENT CONTINGENCIES IN PLACE I THINK TO KEEP IT FUNDING.

THAT IS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND I DON'T HAVE SOME OF EXACT DETAILS ON THAT.

>> Cathy: THERE ARE SOME CITIES LEAPING IN.

GRAND MARAIS COMES TO MIND, THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE IS SAYING THAT THEY WILL GIVE GIFT CARDS AND SOME ISCOUNTS TO FOLKS WHO ARE ON S.N.A.P., COUPLE RESTAURANTS ARE ALSO HELPING TOO.

SOME COUNTIES ARE STEPPING UP.

SO HOW DOES THIS ALL KNIT TOGETHER?

WITH STATE HELP AS WELL, DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE ENOUGH IN >> IT WON'T BE ENOUGH.

I MEAN, THE REALLY WE NEED THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN TO END AND FOR BENEFITS TO COME ON A REGULAR BASIS BACK TO S.N.A.P.

RECIPIENTS BUT I AM INCREDIBLY HEARTENED BY HOW MANY MINNESOTANS ARE STEPPING FORWARD, HOW MANY BUSINESSES ARE STEPPING FORWARD.

PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT PEOPLE IN THIS STATE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WITH ALL OF THE ACTIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

>> Eric: WHAT WOULD BE THE ADVICE FOR S.N.A.P.

USERS?

>> WE ARE ASKING THEM TO LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE.

WE ARE UPDATING AS SOON AS WE KNOW INFORMATION.

DCYF.MN.GOV.

JUST TONIGHT WE UPDATED WITH AS MUCH INFORMATION WE HAVE AVAILABLE WITH SOME OF THE FEDERAL RULINGS.

>> Eric: NOVEMBER 1ST IS TOMORROW.

THAT'S THE TRIGGER DATE HERE.

DO YOU EXPECT IT TO BE THREE OR FOUR DAYS AT THE LEAST BEFORE PEOPLE CAN RECHARGE THEIR CARD >> Cathy: AND GROCERY SHOPPING.

>> WHAT KIND OF TIMELINE.

SO IF USDA IS ABLE TO SAY YES, BEGIN FUNDING AND ISSUE IMMEDIATELY WE ARE READY TO TURN THINGS ON AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN A VERY SHORT TIMEFRAME.

I THINK THE QUESTION IS ARE THEY READY AND WILL THEY HAVE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE.

UNFORTUNATELY MINNESOTANS THAT RELY ON THIS BENEFIT FOR GROCERIES AND THE VERY BASIC NEEDS WILL BE IN LIMBO FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

>> Cathy: QUESTION FOR YOU HERE.

WHAT CAN VIEWERS DO TO HELP?

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING ALL AROUND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, IS THERE SOMETHING THEY CAN DO?

>> THERE IS MINNESOTA OOD HELP FINDER RUN THROUGH THE FOOD GROUP OR HUNGER SOLUTIONS, AND IT HAS A LIST OF THE 300 FOOD SHELVES AND MEAL PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE.

THEY NEED GROCERY BAGS, THEY NEED FOOD, THEY NEED FUNDING, THEY'LL TAKE VOLUNTEERS, I THINK THEY ARE GEARING UP FOR A RECORD NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING TO THEM FOR HELP AND THEY'LL TAKE ANYTHING THEY CAN GET.

>> Eric: YOU'RE IN A FAST-CHANGING ITUATION HERE.

>> WE ARE.

>> Cathy: HOW HARD IS IT FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF?

IT'S LIKE FOLLOWING THE BOUNCING BALL IN A SENSE.

>> IT REALLY IS, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO GET READY FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, FROM A COMMUNICATION STANDPOINT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MINNESOTANS WHO WILY ON THIS -- RELY ON THIS PROGRAM ARE THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY FOR THEM AND WE FEEL REALLY, REALLY STRONGLY THAT THEY NEED TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> Cathy: WELL, THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TONIGHT.

WE APPRECIATE IT.