By Leah Douglas
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Four Republican states have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to let them ban soda, energy drinks and other food items from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, according to an agency spokesperson.
President Donald Trump’s administration has said it will hastily approve such waivers submitted by states as part of its agenda to “Make America Healthy Again,” a slogan popularized by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his supporters.
More than 41 million Americans receive benefits from the SNAP program, the nation’s largest food assistance program.
Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas and Indiana have submitted waivers to the agency, a spokesperson said on Thursday. The agency did not make copies of the waivers available.
Arkansas wants to exclude soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, “unhealthy drinks” and candy, according to a copy of the waiver on the website of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Indiana hopes to exclude candy and soda, according to an April 15 press release from Governor Mike Braun. Nebraska would exclude soda and energy drinks, according to an April 7 letter sent to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins by Governor Jim Pillen.
Reuters could not immediately verify the content of Iowa’s waiver. Iowa lawmakers have been considering a bill that would limit SNAP purchases to whole foods like eggs, milk and vegetables.
Soda and candy lobby groups have criticized the waivers. Some anti-hunger groups and lawmakers have said restricting certain items from SNAP is stigmatizing to benefit recipients.
(Reporting by Leah Douglas in Washington, editing by Deepa Babington)
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