Ashraf Khalil and Josh BoakWASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden’s administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food aid available to needy families — the largest single increase in the program’s history.Starting in October, average benefits for food stamps – officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP – will rise more than 25% above pre-pandemic levels. The increased assistance will be available indefinitely to all 42 million SNAP beneficiaries.The increase coincides with the end of a 15% boost in SNAP benefits that was ordered as a pandemic protection measure. That benefit expires at the end of September.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said that with the change, the U.S. “will do a better
