Four States Have Asked USDA to Let Them Ban Soda, Candy From Food Assistance Program

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: US News and World Report/Reuters

April 24, 2025, at 4:41 p.m.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four Republican states have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to let them ban soda, energy drinks and other food items from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, according to an agency spokesperson.

President Donald Trump's administration has said it will hastily approve such waivers submitted by states as part of its agenda to "Make America Healthy Again," a slogan popularized by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his supporters. More than 41 million Americans receive benefits from the SNAP program, the nation's largest food assistance program.

Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas and Indiana have submitted waivers to the agency, a spokesperson said on Thursday. The agency did not make copies of the waivers available. Arkansas wants to exclude soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, "unhealthy drinks" and candy, according to a copy of the waiver on the website of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Indiana hopes to exclude candy and soda, according to an April 15 press release from Governor Mike Braun. Nebraska would exclude soda and energy drinks, according to an April 7 letter sent to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins by Governor Jim Pillen. Reuters could not immediately verify the content of Iowa's waiver. Iowa lawmakers have been considering a bill that would limit SNAP purchases to whole foods like eggs, milk and vegetables.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2025-04-24/four-states-have-asked-usda-to-let-them-ban-soda-candy-from-food-assistance-program

[Haggard Celine]

1. More small government from the GOP.

[justgamma]

2. Here's the Iowa proposal

A bill co-sponsored by 39 Republican state legislators would limit those getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to buying food on a more restrictive list from a separate program intended for pregnant women and children.

SNAP recipients wouldn't be able to buy a variety of foods, including white grain bread, buns with added nuts or seeds, white rice, pasta sauce, canned fruits or soups, baked beans, cheese slices, butter, or flour.

This is from 2023.

https://www.businessinsider.com/iowa-republicans-bill-ban-snap-recipients-meat-sliced-cheese-2023-1

[Hugin]

3. The grocery store line tongue clickers have made their move...

There’s no way those face eating leopards will ever eat THEIR faces. Living in glass houses blah blah don’t throw rocks and so forth.

[elocs]

4. On my health insurance healthy food card I can't buy either candy nor soda.

I get more than twice a month on it than I do on SNAP.
Wow! Apparently they are making a good decision by mistake.