Dive Brief:
- The USDA published a final rule in the Federal Register on Friday that raises the minimum stocking standards for SNAP-authorized retailers.
- This rule, which takes effect this fall, requires SNAP-authorized retailers to carry seven varieties of items across four categories of staple foods: protein, grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables — doubling previous requirements.
- The USDA said in a Thursday announcement that it has cracked down on noncompliance with current stocking standards, noting it has “taken action” against 3,200 retailers since the Trump administration took office.
Dive Insight:
The USDA said that the rule “emphasizes more whole foods, increases the perishable food requirements, and eliminates loopholes that for too long have allowed retailers to count certain snack foods toward their staple food requirements.”
The Trump administration said the rule will require retailers to offer a wider selection of healthier food options that SNAP consumers can buy.
“[The rule] demands more from retailers and delivers better options for the families who depend on this program. This administration is committed to working across government to improve nutrition, strengthen accountability, and drive better health outcomes nationwide,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
The USDA said it plans to provide additional guidance to retailers in the coming weeks.
FMI — The Food Industry Association and the National Grocers Association separately said they welcome the new SNAP stocking standards as a way to give SNAP consumers a broader range of staple, nutritious foods to choose from.
“We appreciate USDA’s efforts to modernize SNAP stocking standards in a way that better reflects today’s food marketplace and helps expand access to nutritious staple foods for SNAP participants and their families,” FMI Chief Public Policy Officer Jennifer Hatcher said in a statement.
