Federal judge blocks state bans on buying soda and candy with food stamps

Key Points:

• A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from allowing five states to ban the purchase of sugary drinks and candy with food stamps under the SNAP program, ruling the USDA lacked authority for such waivers.
• The decision is a setback for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) initiative, aimed at reducing ultraprocessed food consumption to combat chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes.
• The states involved—Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia—had requested waivers to restrict sugary drinks and candy purchases for all SNAP recipients, but the court found these restrictions violated federal law and regulations.
• Judge Amy Berman Jackson emphasized that while improving SNAP recipients' health is a valid goal, the USDA cannot bypass legal procedures or exceed its authority in implementing such restrictions.
• Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins vowed to continue efforts to restrict junk food purchases with SNAP benefits, while advocacy groups praised the ruling for protecting essential food assistance and legal safeguards.