
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 15, 1993                   TAG: 9309150079
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A7   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

FOOD STAMP PRINTING TO REMAIN AMERICAN

Foreign companies won't get a chance to print food stamps after all. The Agriculture Department ruled out that possibility after being told it would cost jobs and raise the risk of counterfeiting.

In a letter last week to members of Congress, Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy said the department will require that food stamp coupons be printed in the United States.

Espy noted concerns raised by the Secret Service about its ability to guard against counterfeiting and theft of food stamps.

The government spends $50 million a year to print about $20 billion worth of food stamps. For the first time July 30, the department offered to let foreign firms bid on the printing the coupons.

- Associated Press

Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.

by CNB