Overview
- Florida will run a two-year pilot under a USDA waiver that blocks SNAP use for soda, energy drinks, candy, and shelf-stable prepared desserts.
- The policy uses strict product definitions, counting an energy drink as one with at least 65 milligrams of caffeine per eight ounces that is marketed for an energy boost.
- Drinks with more than 50% fruit or vegetable juice and beverages with very low added sugar remain eligible, and coffee and tea are not treated as energy drinks.
- State officials say the goal is to encourage healthier choices, and they must track and report results throughout the pilot.
- Feeding Tampa Bay reports demand up about 30% over the past year and warns the change, combined with rising fuel and fertilizer costs, could push more families to food banks, while a new Farmer’s Feeding Florida Program awaits the governor’s signature to aid farmers and food banks.