Along with the rising price of gas, consumers have also noticed and increase in the price of milk rice and other grocery items of late.

However as those prices continue to rise those who are on assistance, from the government, are still getting the same amount of food stamps monthly.And in both Herkimer and Oneida Counties, the number of those on assistance has either stayed the same or increased over the past few years.

There are 12,238 households who receive food stamps in Oneida County. In Herkimer County there are a little more than 2,200 house holds.

Unfortunately, whatever the monthly allotment was for those households all of last year, most have not seen an increase this year, despite the rising cost of groceries.

Arline Beaty is the Director of Income Maintenance for Oneida County. She says the amount of food stamp eligibility is based on household income, and monthly expenses.

The federal government then uses a percentage of the federal poverty level to determine monthly allowances.

For example, a single person can only gross $1,107 per month, to receive a maximum $162 a month in food stamps. For a family of four, the maximum gross income is $2,238, meaning they would be eligible to receive a maximum of $542 a month in food stamps.

Beaty says in all her years working with the food stamp program, the largest allowance increase, from year to year, she has ever seen is only $7.

That's why she says she explains to the people who receive food stamps, that they are only supposed to be used as a supplement.

"When you come on food stamps, it is not your monthly food allowance for you house," Beaty said. "It is meant to supplement your food allowance. So, it enables you to buy more nutritious food. And that has always been the goal and purpose of the food stamp program, to supplement food purchasing."

Food stamps can only be used for food. People can not purchase personal hygiene supplies like toothbrushes, toothpastes, or even laundry detergents.

Anyone wishing to apply for food stamps can go to their county building.

However, in Oneida County, starting at the end of this Summer, people can start to sign up electronically and avoid coming into the office.