UPDATE: Oct. 31 at 6:30 p.m. 

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Today, Oct. 31, Governor Tony Evers signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency due to the ongoing federal government shutdown and the lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits on Nov. 1. 

According to the press release, it states this order comes as "it remains unclear whether the Trump Administration plans to comply with two courts that opined earlier today." In reference to two federal judges saying the Trump administration must use available emergency funds to continue to partially cover food stamp benefits. 

“Wisconsinites and Americans across the country are now scrambling, trying to figure out how to feed their families. There’s no excuse for it, and this is a direct result of Republicans in Congress and the Trump Administration, who’ve done nothing to help. As the courts agree, the Trump Administration could’ve stopped this from happening, but they didn’t, and now, Wisconsin’s kids, families, and seniors are worried about whether or when they’re going to eat next. This shouldn’t be happening. Period,” said Gov. Evers. 

Food pantries are bracing for even more complications.

Matt Stienstra is the Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. He told us, "No matter what, there's going to be a delay in benefits."

How long that delay lasts is anyone's guess, so Feeding America remains on high alert.

Food banks are barely holding on amid record demand, and Stienstra said there's still a lot they don't know. "We could hear something tonight that could completely upend things again."

Feeding America is the largest food pantry in the state, but it pales in comparison to the federal FoodShare program, which can provide nine times as many meals.

Stienstra said, "There is no way that we could ever, with any amount of fundraising or donations, completely replace the FoodShare program."

Delays in funding could create a crisis.

Hunger Task Force said food assistance programs across the state have seen "an alarming increase in demand over the past weeks due to impending SNAP delays."

No matter what the administration does, benefits will be delayed to start November.

Many of the state's nearly 700,000 recipients have already felt the damage.

Single mother Natasha Prescott used to work 60 hour weeks for her family. "And now," she said, "due to this government shutdown, I have to work 90 hours."

While the administration says it's targeting bloat and fraud, Prescott says she's just trying to feed her children. "How much more do we have to work to get through this? We cannot do this on our own. We need help for real!"

Even when benefits do eventually come back, "We know there is not enough money in that contingency fund to fully fund the program. So we don't know what percentage of benefits people will get on their card."

Before the shutdown, families received an average of $75 per week. Now they'll get less.

Stienstra said, November is always the busiest month of the year for people facing food insecurity, the holidays are nearing, and there are few answers. "This is just an incredibly rapidly evolving situation."

In a social post from President Donald Trump on Truth Social, he states that his lawyers don't have the legal authority to pay SNAP funds with the money available. 

President Trump has asked his lawyers to ask the court to clarify how to legally fund SNAP. 

"If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the court," said President Trump. "It will be my honor to provide the funding, just like I did with military and law enforcement pay." 

With the executive order, state agencies are taking measures to address the state of emergency - this includes prohibiting price gouging due to FoodShare funding, ensuring resources are available for Wisconsinites and that state agencies use every tool and resource to support Wisconsin residents through the impacts of the shutdown. 

Governor Evers executive order can be found here. 

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Governor Tony Evers on Friday, Oct. 31, announced he will be issuing an executive order declaring a state of emergency related to the ongoing federal government shutdown. 

“The good news is that the Courts agree with what we’ve said all along, which is that the Trump Administration should have—and could have—taken action sooner to prevent November food assistance from lapsing for millions of Americans, including for nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites. But now, the damage is done,” said Gov. Evers.

The news comes after the Trump administration cut federal funding for Wisconsin's FoodShare program, also known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). 

Friday, two federal judges said the Trump administration must tap into emergency funds to partially cover food stamp benefits. 

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling.