The Trump administration has authorized six additional states to impose restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, purchases, expanding a controversial policy initiative that aims to encourage healthier food choices among recipients. Under the waivers, beneficiaries in Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee will be barred from using SNAP benefits to buy sugary drinks, candy and certain highly processed items beginning next year. The move broadens a program launched earlier in 2025 that allows states to tailor purchase rules in exchange for eligibility for a new rural health fund. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the changes align with a broader effort to promote nutritional well-being, though critics call the restrictions paternalistic and warn they could stigmatize low-income consumers.
Welcome
