SNAP Recipients Sue USDA Over Food Restrictions

Five Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture on March 11 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the agency's approval of waivers that restrict the use of benefits to purchase certain foods in five states.

The plaintiffs, who live in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia, seek to block the waivers in those states. The restrictions, approved by the USDA since May, prohibit SNAP participants from buying items such as sugary drinks, energy drinks, candy and other processed foods deemed nonnutritious. The program, which provides food assistance to about 42 million low-income Americans, now faces these limits in 22 states overall.

The lawsuit argues that the waivers destabilize food access for SNAP participants by imposing ambiguous restrictions that vary by state and sometimes by store. It claims the rules create confusion at checkout and force recipients to choose between using cash for restricted items or covering essentials like rent and transportation. The plaintiffs also contend that the restrictions harm individuals managing chronic health conditions, such as...