US EditionBans on sugary foods in SNAP programs in 5 states challenged by recipients
Five SNAP recipients challenge USDA waivers in five states that restrict sugary and processed food purchases, arguing they harm food access and health management, affecting 42 million program users.
- On March 11, five consumers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to undo Trump-era bans on sugary drinks and candy.
- USDA said the waivers are a key step to ensure taxpayer dollars buy more nutritious options and improve health outcomes, despite plaintiffs claiming they impose ambiguous, untethered restrictions that vary by state and store.
- Legal filings show the bans target candy, sugar-sweetened beverages and other processed foods, with plaintiffs represented by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and Shinder Cantor Lerner.
- The lawsuit argues the waivers destabilize food access for SNAP participants and harm people with chronic illnesses, while a USDA spokesperson declined to comment on pending litigation Friday.
- Across multiple states, challengers say the policy creates a patchwork, with plaintiffs from Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia challenging the Make America Healthy Again waivers that affect 42 million people.
22 Articles
22 Articles
SNAP Junk Food Restrictions Spark Federal Lawsuit
Five recipients of federal food assistance benefits have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), challenging new restrictions that limit the purchase of certain junk foods with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by SNAP recipients from Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. They are represented by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (…
Nebraskan among five recipients suing to stop bans on sugary foods in SNAP programs
A sign explaining restrictions on buying soda and sweetened drinks using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits is displayed in a grocery store in Bountiful, Utah on Feb. 11, 2026. (McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch)WASHINGTON — A group of food stamp recipients sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture this week over its efforts to prohibit the benefits from being used to purchase certain non-nutritious items. Five consumers enrolled …
Bans on sugary foods in SNAP programs in Iowa challenged by recipients
A sign explaining restrictions on buying soda and sweetened drinks using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits is displayed in a grocery store in Bountiful, Utah on Feb. 11, 2026. (McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch)WASHINGTON — A group of food stamp recipients sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture this week over its efforts to prohibit the benefits from being used to purchase certain non-nutritious items. Five consumers enrolled …
Louisiana Illuminator
Bans on sugary foods in SNAP programs in 5 states challenged by recipients
A sign explaining restrictions on buying soda and sweetened drinks using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits is displayed in a grocery store in Bountiful, Utah on Feb. 11, 2026. (McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch)WASHINGTON — A group of food stamp recipients sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture this week over its efforts to prohibit the benefits from being used to purchase certain non-nutritious items. Five consumers enrolled …
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