Overview
- Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia received federal approval to redefine eligible SNAP foods.
- With the new waivers, 18 jurisdictions now plan to restrict certain highly processed items, adding to earlier approvals across states such as Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.
- Implementation will be staggered in 2026, with Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah starting early in the year and Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia beginning in August, while the six newly approved states target 2026 with dates to be set.
- Targeted categories commonly include sugary drinks, candy and energy drinks, and some states plan to bar processed beverages like fruit or vegetable drinks with less than 50% juice.
- USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins called the steps a move to restore SNAP’s nutritional focus, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the waivers give states an option to shield children from highly processed foods affecting roughly 42 million SNAP users.