Nebraska’s New Soda Ban under SNAP

Nebraska has become the first state to obtain a federal exemption that allows it to prohibit the purchase of sugary drinks and energy beverages with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.

This decision, announced on Monday by USDA Secretary Brook Rollins, will impact around 152,000 individuals in Nebraska who are enrolled in SNAP, assisting families with their grocery expenses.

“There’s really no justification for taxpayers to subsidize the purchase of soda and energy drinks,” said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen in a statement. “The aim of SNAP is to support families in need by helping them access nutritious food, and frankly, nothing about these sugary drinks is healthy.”

Other States Considering Similar Bans

In addition to Nebraska, six other states—Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, and West Virginia—have also requested exemptions to restrict specific foods and beverages through the USDA.

The initiative to eliminate sugary drinks, candies, and other similar items from SNAP has been a key priority for Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Rollins hailed the move as “a historic step towards making America healthier.”

Although the specifics of Nebraska’s exemption, which is set to commence on January 1, were not immediately available, some advocates for anti-hunger initiatives have raised concerns. They argue that this exemption would lead to greater costs, additional management challenges, and further stigma for those already facing food insecurity.

Gina Plata-Nino, deputy director of the Center for Food Research and Action, described the exemption as overlooking evidence suggesting that incentive-based strategies are more effective and respectful than punitive measures for improving nutrition and alleviating hunger.

SNAP is a substantial program, amounting to about $100 billion and serving roughly 42 million Americans, overseen by the U.S. Agriculture Bureau and operated at the state level.

This program is authorized by the 2008 Federal Food and Nutrition Act, allowing SNAP benefits to be spent on “foods or food intended for human consumption,” excluding items like alcohol, cigarettes, and hot foods.

Over the last two decades, numerous lawmakers have proposed restricting SNAP benefits from covering items ranging from bottled water and soda to processed snacks and even high-quality meats. Thus far, however, the USDA has denied these requests, citing the lack of a clear standard to define healthy versus unhealthy foods and concerns about the complexity, cost, and efficacy of such restrictions.