Federal judge blocks bans on SNAP use for soda
Key takeaways
- Congress defined what food is supposed to be, and it did not authorize the agency to amend or waive the definition it enacted.
- Jackson, an appointee of former President Obama, wrote in her order that, per USDA policy, the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 s definition of food guides what SNAP benefits can purchase.
- The USDA and its secretary, Brooke Rollins, gave approval letters for the states requests, according to the filing, which Jackson said in her ruling that she was vacating and remanding.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Congress defined what food is supposed to be, and it did not authorize the agency to amend or waive the definition it enacted. It did not authorize the agency to cut types of food out of SNAP entirely, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson wrote in a Monday filing, referencing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
It set out clearly the type of experimental projects that could be tested to address the unquestionably serious health issues attributed to the rise of obesity in the population in general and particularly the low-income population, she added.
According to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia filing, five states, including Iowa, Nebraska, West Virginia, Colorado and Tennessee, submitted requests to the USDA to conduct pilot projects between April and August 2025 attempting to waive the federal definition of food, removing certain items from that definition including soft drinks and soda.