Nebraska to ban soda and energy drinks from SNAP

Nebraska to ban soda and energy drinks from SNAP under first USDA waiver

THE SNAP BENEFITS U.S. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE VISITED NEBRASKA TODAY TO ANNOUNCE A MASSIVE CHANGE. SECRETARY BROOKE ROLLINS MET WITH NEBRASKA GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN AND THIRD DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN ADRIAN SMITH AT A FARM FACILITY NEAR FREMONT. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MADISON PERALES HAS DETAILS. I’M AT WHOLE STONE FARMS HOG PROCESSING FACILITY HERE IN FREMONT, WHERE SECRETARY BROOKE ROLLINS ANNOUNCED THE NEW SNAP RESTRICTIONS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THE MOMENT MARKS NEBRASKA BEING THE FIRST STATE TO SIGN ON TO THE NEW SNAP RESTRICTIONS PILOT PROGRAM. NO BRAINER. REALLY, REALLY PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT. AND THIS IS NOT A PROGRAM THAT’S UP FOR DEBATE. THIS IS MANDATORY PROCESS THAT WILL START JANUARY 1ST. AFTER THE START DATE, YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO USE SNAP BENEFITS TO BUY SODAS, SOFT DRINKS AND ENERGY DRINKS. THE NUMBER ONE COST DRIVER IN THE SNAP PROGRAM IS SUGARY DRINKS, JUNK FOOD COMES RIGHT BEHIND IT AS WELL. U.S. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE BROOKE ROLLINS ALSO TALKED ABOUT PUTTING FARMERS FIRST. WHEN ASKED IF CUTTING SNAP IS IMPERATIVE TO FUNDING THE FARM BILL, SHE SAID 80% OF THE BILL IS THE SNAP PROGRAM. WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO REFORM SNAP. PRESIDENT OF THE NEBRASKA FARMERS UNION, JOHN HANSON, SAYS EVERYONE IN CONGRESS HAS A STAKE IN SNAP. SO IF YOU COMBINE FOOD ASSISTANCE AND FOOD PRODUCTION, YOU HAVE ALL 435 ACTIVELY INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE PEOPLE IN THEIR DISTRICTS WHO NEED FOOD ASSISTANCE. HANSON SAYS THE CUTS ARE PROBLEMATIC. OUR PRIMARY OBLIGATION IS IS TO THE FARMERS THAT WE REPRESENT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, GETTING THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING AT THE EXPENSE OF PEOPLE WHO NEED FOOD ASSISTANCE IS IS PROBLEMATIC. ROLLINS ADDS THAT 20 TO 30% OF SNAP BENEFITS GO TO THE WRONG PEOPLE. DISTRICT THREE REPRESENTATIVE ADRIAN SMITH SAYS THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. NOT ONLY DO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS IN NEED GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO HELP LIFT THEM OUT OF POVERTY, BUT FOR TAXPAYERS TO KNOW THAT THEIR DOLLARS ARE ENDING UP WHERE THEY’RE INTENDED TO GO. SECRETARY ROLLINS SAYS THAT THE NEW RESTRICTIONS WILL GO INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, 2026, AND THE TEST RUN WILL BE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. REPORTIN

Updated: 11:05 AM CDT May 20, 2025

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Nebraska to ban soda and energy drinks from SNAP under first USDA waiver

Updated: 11:05 AM CDT May 20, 2025

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Nebraska is the first state to receive a federal waiver to ban the purchase of soda and energy drinks under the benefit program for low-income Americans long known as food stamps.The move, announced Monday by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, would affect about 152,000 people in Nebraska enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps families pay for groceries.“There's absolutely zero reason for taxpayers to be subsidizing purchases of soda and energy drinks,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said in a statement. “SNAP is about helping families in need get healthy food into their diets, but there's nothing nutritious about the junk we're removing with today's waiver.”Six other states — Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa and West Virginia — have also submitted requests for waivers banning certain foods and drinks or, in some cases, expanding access to hot foods for participants, according to the USDA.The push to ban sugary drinks, candy and more from the SNAP program has been a key focus of Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Rollins called Monday's move “a historic step to Make America Healthy again.”Details of Nebraska's waiver, which takes effect Jan. 1, weren't immediately available. Anti-hunger advocates criticized it, saying it adds costs, boosts administrative burdens and increases stigma for people already facing food insecurity.The waiver “ignores decades of evidence showing that incentive-based approaches — not punitive restrictions — are the most effective, dignified path to improving nutrition and reducing hunger,” said Gina Plata-Nino, a deputy director at the Food Research & Action Center, a nonprofit advocacy group.SNAP is a roughly $100 billion program that serves about 42 million Americans and is run by the U.S. Agriculture Department and administered through states.The program is authorized by the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which says SNAP benefits can be used “for any food or food product intended for human consumption,” except alcohol, tobacco and hot foods, including those prepared for immediate consumption.Over the past 20 years, lawmakers in several states have proposed stopping SNAP from paying for everything from bottled water and soda to chips, ice cream and “luxury meats” like steak.Until now, USDA rejected the waivers, saying there were no clear standards to define certain foods as good or bad. In addition, the agency had said restrictions would be difficult to implement, complicated and costly, and would not necessarily change recipients' food purchases or reduce health problems such as obesity.

Nebraska is the first state to receive a federal waiver to ban the purchase of soda and energy drinks under the benefit program for low-income Americans long known as food stamps.

The move, announced Monday by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, would affect about 152,000 people in Nebraska enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps families pay for groceries.

“There's absolutely zero reason for taxpayers to be subsidizing purchases of soda and energy drinks,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said in a statement. “SNAP is about helping families in need get healthy food into their diets, but there's nothing nutritious about the junk we're removing with today's waiver.”

Six other states — Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa and West Virginia — have also submitted requests for waivers banning certain foods and drinks or, in some cases, expanding access to hot foods for participants, according to the USDA.

The push to ban sugary drinks, candy and more from the SNAP program has been a key focus of Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Rollins called Monday's move “a historic step to Make America Healthy again.”

Details of Nebraska's waiver, which takes effect Jan. 1, weren't immediately available. Anti-hunger advocates criticized it, saying it adds costs, boosts administrative burdens and increases stigma for people already facing food insecurity.

The waiver “ignores decades of evidence showing that incentive-based approaches — not punitive restrictions — are the most effective, dignified path to improving nutrition and reducing hunger,” said Gina Plata-Nino, a deputy director at the Food Research & Action Center, a nonprofit advocacy group.

SNAP is a roughly $100 billion program that serves about 42 million Americans and is run by the U.S. Agriculture Department and administered through states.

The program is authorized by the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which says SNAP benefits can be used “for any food or food product intended for human consumption,” except alcohol, tobacco and hot foods, including those prepared for immediate consumption.

Over the past 20 years, lawmakers in several states have proposed stopping SNAP from paying for everything from bottled water and soda to chips, ice cream and “luxury meats” like steak.

Until now, USDA rejected the waivers, saying there were no clear standards to define certain foods as good or bad. In addition, the agency had said restrictions would be difficult to implement, complicated and costly, and would not necessarily change recipients' food purchases or reduce health problems such as obesity.

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