(NewsNation) — Highly processed foods and drinks are on the chopping block amid new restrictions on what some SNAP recipients can buy at the grocery store in 2026.
By the end of next year, nearly 20 states will have implemented limits on the types of food Americans can purchase under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Waivers from the Department of Agriculture will restrict the purchase of items like soda and candy.
Florida’s waiver will be the first to go into effect on Jan 1. According to a map from the department, waivers have also been approved for Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana and South Carolina. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the waivers give states more control and protect children from highly processed foods.
Beyond food restrictions, the Trump administration is tightening work requirements and eligibility rules for SNAP, a move that’s already affecting recipients nationwide. In states such as Oregon, federal work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents are now in effect statewide, limiting benefits to three months unless work or training requirements are met. New York already enforces similar rules, and officials are watching closely as federal SNAP oversight increases across the U.S.
States are pushing back against new data-sharing demands by the administration, including requests for more information on SNAP recipients, such as their immigration status.
“I have absolutely no interest in people going hungry. I also have no interest, though, in being bullied into releasing information that is personal and private,” said Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. “I’m in a tough situation here, you know, I’ve got to protect people’s privacy — also have to protect their dining room table.”
The dispute is now in court. In Minnesota, the USDA is demanding Gov. Tim Walz recertify SNAP recipients in some counties following his criticism of President Donald Trump’s comments on Somali residents in the state, as well as immigration raids.
Earlier this week, a federal judge ordered the USDA to extend a compliance deadline, according to Reuters, giving states until April 9 to adjust to the immigration-related eligibility restrictions for food aid.
