USDA Extends Junk-Food SNAP Ban to Six More States, Eyes Dietary Rewrite

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved waivers allowing six additional states—Florida, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Colorado—to bar the purchase of soda, candy and other junk foods with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the policy is intended to re-align the program with its nutrition mandate rather than subsidise foods linked to obesity and chronic disease. The latest approvals expand a pilot that already covers Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah, bringing the total number of participating states to a dozen. Sugary drinks are the single most common item bought with SNAP, and some analysts estimate they account for a meaningful share of beverage companies’ sales through the $119-billion food-aid programme. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described the waivers as part of a broader shift from measuring food assistance by quantity to judging it by quality. He said the administration will also release a rewritten Dietary Guidelines for Americans this fall, replacing the current 453-page document with a shorter, clearer version that prioritises whole foods over ultra-processed products. The forthcoming guidelines will influence federal feeding programmes ranging from school cafeterias to military bases and are expected to reinforce efforts to curb diet-related illnesses. Consumer-goods makers such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Mondelez could face further headwinds if the rules trim demand for sugary drinks and snacks across government-supported food channels.