WASHINGTON, D.C., Fla. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced new rules Thursday requiring retailers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to stock a broader variety of staple foods.
The USDA said the updated retailer stocking standards are intended to increase access to more nutritious foods for families using SNAP benefits and reduce fraud and abuse within the program.
Under the new rule, retailers authorized to accept SNAP benefits will be required to carry seven varieties of food items across four staple categories: protein, grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables.
The USDA said the changes more than double current food variety requirements, increase perishable food standards and close loopholes that previously allowed some snack foods to count toward staple food requirements.
“To turn the tide on our nation’s health crisis, we need to ensure our nutrition assistance programs emphasize real food first,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the changes “put real food back at the center of SNAP.”
According to the USDA, the Food and Nutrition Service has taken action against nearly 3,200 retailers since the start of the Trump administration for failing to meet or maintain existing SNAP stocking standards.
Retailers that fail to comply with SNAP requirements can be disqualified from accepting SNAP benefits.
The updated standards are scheduled to take effect in fall 2026. The USDA said additional guidance for retailers will be released in the coming weeks.
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