Nearly 2.7 million people receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits across five states are set to face new limits on what they can buy over the next six weeks, as the Trump administration's push to remove soda, candy and other products from SNAP expands. South Carolina's rules are slated to begin August 31, followed by North Dakota on September 1, Montana on September 30, and Ohio and Virginia on October 1, according to the USDA's current list of SNAP food restriction waivers. The USDA's latest state-level figures show that the five states had more than 2.6 million SNAP participants as of April.
SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps, are paid to more than 35 million no- and low-income Americans each month to help them with the cost of groceries. The changes do not reduce monthly benefit amounts. Instead, retailers will block specified products from being paid for with SNAP at checkout.
The exact definitions vary considerably by state. South Carolina will bar SNAP purchases of candy, energy drinks, soft drinks with added sugar and other sweetened beverages. State guidance says the latter category includes sweetened tea, fruit punch, lemonade and sweetened coffee, while diet and zero-sugar soft drinks will remain eligible.
USDA recorded 495,445 SNAP participants in South Carolina in April, down 12.7 percent from a year earlier. North Dakota's rules cover candy, energy drinks and a broad category of sweetened drinks. North Dakota Health and Human Services says beverages containing at least five grams of added sugar, any artificial sweetener, or less than 50 percent fruit or vegetable juice can be excluded, with soda, sweetened tea, lemonade, sports drinks and bottled coffee drinks among examples.
Energy drinks, shots and mixes containing at least 65 milligrams of caffeine per eight ounces and specified stimulants are also barred. Milk, drinks with more than 50 percent juice and unsweetened beverages remain eligible. The state had 51,706 SNAP participants in April.
Montana will prohibit candy, high-sugar beverages, energy drinks and shelf-stable prepared desserts beginning September 30. A high-sugar beverage is generally one containing more than 10 grams of sugar per eight fluid ounces. The dessert restriction covers processed, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat packaged sweets but excludes store-made bakery products.
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