By Julie Siple, Minnesota Public Radio News

ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s Human Services Commissioner is raising concerns about incorrect food stamp payments, after the state’s payment error rate was among the worst in the nation last year.

Unless Minnesota improves its performance, it could face financial penalties from the federal government.

In the last fiscal year, Minnesota had a payment error rate of 5 percent, compared to the national average of 3.4 percent. The errors led to an estimated $30 million in overpayments to recipients, and $8 million in underpayments.

Those errors can be caused by county workers, who make mistakes about eligibility in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — commonly called food stamps — according to Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson. To continue reading this story visit Minnesota Public Radio News by clicking here.