The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has expressed support for the recent decision by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve waivers for six states regarding their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP). The approved states—Louisiana, West Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas—will implement changes starting in 2026 that alter what foods can be purchased with SNAP benefits.
Governor Bobby Jindal, Chair of Healthy America at AFPI, and Sarah Frey, Senior Advisor for Rural Policy at AFPI, released a joint statement: “This week’s announcement by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) of the approval of six additional states’ food choice state waivers for their state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) marks another big step forward to Making America Healthy Again. Taxpayer dollars meant for nutrition assistance should not be used to purchase non-nutritious items like soda and candy, which are contributing to America’s chronic disease epidemic. We applaud the states of Louisiana, West Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas for their commitment to their citizens’ health.”
The USDA’s move follows previous approvals earlier this year for six other states seeking similar changes. The new waivers will modify the statutory definition of eligible SNAP food purchases in these states.
