A federal judge has blocked bans on the usage of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for soda enacted by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCongress defined what \u2018food\u2019 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,\u201d U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson wrote in a Monday filing, referencing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt 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,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia filing, five states, including Iowa, Nebraska, West Virginia, Colorado and Tennessee, \u201csubmitted requests to the USDA to conduct pilot projects\u201d between April and August 2025 attempting to \u201cwaive the federal definition of \u2018food,\u2019\u201d removing certain items from that definition including soft drinks and soda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Represented by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ), a nonprofit focused on advancing justice for low-income families, five SNAP recipients from those five states had sued the USDA for implementing its waiver restriction pilot projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jackson, an appointee of former President Obama, wrote in her order that, per USDA policy, the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008\u2019s definition of \u201cfood\u201d guides what SNAP benefits can purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The USDA and its secretary, Brooke Rollins, gave approval letters for the states\u2019 requests, according to the filing, which Jackson said in her ruling that she was vacating and remanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The department has approved \u201cfood restriction\u201d waivers \u2060in 23 states overall, according to Reuters. The restrictions were endorsed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. \u200bas part of the \u201cMake America Healthy Again\u201d movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Hill has reached out to the USDA for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n