South Carolina and Tennessee are looking to join a throng of states that have placed restrictions on what can be bought using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Why It Matters
Since the Trump administration began in January, 12 U.S. states have previously moved to ban unhealthy foods and drinks from being bought using SNAP benefits. Such rule changes, known as waivers, need to be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees the program.
Supporters of restricting SNAP purchases argue that removing unhealthy foods from the program will lead to better health outcomes, and the push to limit what can be bought has been spearheaded by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. However, critics contend it dictates how low-income Americans eat and ignores broader issues around access to affordable, nutritious food.
If the waiver requests are approved in Tennessee and South Carolina, it could impact nearly 1.3 million SNAP recipients across both states.
