The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) emailed grocery stores, instructing them not to provide discounts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients during the ongoing government shutdown.
This email came to light when MSNBC’s Katherine Rampel shared it on social media on Sunday.
David Cutler, Vice President of the National Grocers Association (NGA), confirmed to The Hill on Monday that the email had been sent to grocers. NGA represents over 21,000 independent grocery stores across the country.
The notification specifies that stores must comply with program regulations, emphasizing, “It is a SNAP violation to offer discounts or services solely to customers paying with SNAP benefits.”
A spokesperson from NGA mentioned that independent grocers are committed to serving all customers equitably during the shutdown, which began on October 1.
“Independent grocers recognize the vital role of SNAP in helping families access nutritious food and are adhering to federal guidelines to treat all customers equally,” the spokesperson noted. “Our members are dedicated to upholding high standards of customer service while providing sustenance to their communities in this challenging period.”
The Hill reached out to the Department of Agriculture for additional information regarding the email.
On Monday, officials from the Trump administration indicated that a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that part of November’s SNAP benefits would be covered by a $4.65 billion emergency fund. This decision followed orders from two federal judges the previous Friday.
The estimated cost for SNAP benefits for over 40 million recipients in November exceeds $9 billion. The justices indicated that the USDA could utilize other funding sources, including the Section 32 Child Nutrition Fund, to meet the remaining needs.
However, on Monday, the administration warned that such actions would pose an “unacceptable risk.”
“The Section 32 Child Nutrition Program Fund is not intended as a SNAP emergency fund,” said Patrick Penn, who oversees the SNAP program.
