- The USDA will deploy undercover investigators to ensure retailers comply with new state-level restrictions on SNAP (food stamp) purchases.
- Investigations will begin 90 days after restrictions take effect in each state, with inspectors attempting to buy prohibited items.
- Retailers that violate the rules will first receive a warning, but repeat offenses can lead to losing authorization to accept SNAP benefits.
- Eighteen states have received waivers to restrict SNAP purchases – often targeting soda, energy drinks, candy and prepared desserts with rollouts beginning Jan. 1 and continuing through October.
- USDA officials say the changes aim to improve nutrition and public health, requiring close coordination with retailers, while signaling that additional state waivers are likely in the future.
Undercover investigators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin checking whether retailers are complying with new state-level restrictions on purchases made with food stamps, according to a notice the department sent to state and regional officials.
In a notice released by the USDA on Dec. 30, the department stated that the USDA's Office of Retailer Operations and Compliance, which oversees stores authorized to accept benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), will conduct undercover investigations to determine whether retailers are following program rules.
Once new SNAP restrictions take effect in a state, investigators will begin attempting to purchase restricted items in those stores 90 days after implementation, following each state's specific SNAP Food Restriction policy.
Retailers found to be out of compliance will first receive a warning letter instructing them to take corrective action. If violations continue, the USDA will revoke the retailer's authorization to accept SNAP benefits.
The first five states, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia, began enforcing restrictions on Jan. 1. Additional states, including Idaho, Louisiana and Oklahoma, are scheduled to begin restrictions in February, while other states may not implement changes until as late as Oct. 1.
USDA backs state SNAP waivers to curb soda and junk food purchases
According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, SNAP (food stamp) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to low-income households for the purchase of food. SNAP, administered by the USDA, is authorized under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. § 2011 et seq.). Eligible households receive SNAP benefits, which are issued via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
Federal law states that the program's purpose is to "safeguard the health and well-being of the nation's population by raising levels of nutrition among low-income households."
In line with this, USDA official Patrick Penn stated in the notice that the waiver requests from 18 states, which USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins approved in 2025, advance that goal by supporting broader state and federal efforts to address obesity and improve public health. Penn said that the changes align with initiatives to encourage healthier food choices among SNAP participants.
The waivers, which allow 18 states to depart from standard SNAP rules and restrict which items participants can buy with their benefits, focus on limiting purchases of soda and other soft drinks. Some of these states have also barred SNAP funds from being used to buy energy drinks, candy and prepared desserts.
Moreover, Penn stressed the need for close coordination between state agencies and retailers because each waiver includes its own definitions of restricted items and implementation timelines. Stores will be required to update point-of-sale systems, adjust inventory settings and train employees to ensure compliance. Penn also said the USDA plans to approve additional waiver requests in the future, signaling that more states may adopt similar SNAP restrictions in the coming months.
The department said it will continue working with states and retailers as the new rules roll out, while using undercover investigations to ensure consistent enforcement across participating states.
Watch this video explaining the major SNAP benefit changes under the second Trump administration.
This video is from the Treasure of the Sun channel on Brighteon.com.
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