USDA Approves More SNAP Waivers Limiting Soda and Candy
civileats.com
Nearly half of all states now have approved waivers to restrict SNAP purchases, with a third Democrat-led state joining the list.

March 4, 2026 – Four more states will restrict what can be purchased with federal food assistance dollars after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved waivers on Wednesday.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed waivers allowing Kansas, Nevada, Ohio, and Wyoming to restrict certain food purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), bringing the total number of states with SNAP waivers to 22. During the event, Rollins said another eight SNAP waivers are “in the pipeline.”

Already, several waivers have taken effect across the country. The latest will restrict items including candy, soda, and other sweetened beverages. Most of these waivers have been approved in Republican-led states. So far, Kansas, Colorado and Hawai’i are the only states with Democratic governors to have waivers approved.

Supporters of the restrictions—which are part of the Make America Healthy Again agenda—call them a significant re-shaping of one of the largest federal food programs. But in the states that have implemented similar waivers, SNAP recipients, retailers, and anti-hunger advocates have reported confusion over the new policies.

On Wednesday, Rollins backed a state-driven approach to these waivers, but also acknowledged this has created some challenges and confusion. She said her team at the USDA is working with state leaders to solve “almost every single challenge.”

Rollins also said the agency is poised to release a final rule on the types of food that SNAP retailers must offer in order to remain eligible for the program. The last update was made in 2016, and Rollins said this will more than double the number of required food varieties across four staple food groups.

The final rule will ensure SNAP retailers are offering healthy food options, Rollins said, and would ensure items like jelly could no longer count as a fruit. But public health groups like the Center for Science in the Public Interest warned the proposed rule, which was released in September, did not sufficiently ensure an increase in healthy, whole-food options. (Link to this post.)

The post USDA Approves More SNAP Waivers Limiting Soda and Candy appeared first on Civil Eats.

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