USDA approves SNAP food-choice waivers for six states under health initiative
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
WASHINGTON (KBSI) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, joined by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on Wednesday announced federal approval of six new state waivers that will change which foods may be purchased through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beginning in 2026.
The waivers — submitted by Hawai‘i, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee — fall under the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. The program aims to revise SNAP’s statutory definition of “food for purchase” by limiting access to items considered unhealthy or highly processed.
Rollins said the initiative is part of a broader effort to realign SNAP with its core nutritional purpose.
“President Trump has made it clear: we are restoring SNAP to its true purpose — nutrition,” Rollins said in a statement. “With these waivers, we are empowering states to lead, protecting our children from highly processed foods, and moving one step closer to the President’s promise to Make America Healthy Again.”
Kennedy said the changes reflect growing state-level interest in addressing chronic disease.
“We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay again to treat the illnesses those programs help create,” Kennedy said.
CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the approvals are part of a “whole-of-government approach” to reducing obesity and chronic disease.
Governors in participating states also issued statements:
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said the waiver will help refocus SNAP to “maximize nutritional health for families” while also supporting the state’s agricultural industry.
North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong called the waiver “a proactive step toward becoming the healthiest state in the nation.”
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said the changes encourage families to buy healthier foods and ensure federal dollars “are used to their maximum benefit.”
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said the waivers will “strengthen families and improve health outcomes” across the state.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin noted that the approvals build on the USDA’s “Laboratories of Innovation” initiative, which invites states to propose reforms to strengthen federal nutrition programs.
The six newly approved waivers follow earlier amendments in Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah. All changes are set to take effect in 2026.
