The U.S. Department of Agriculture is pushing for new requirements that could change which retailers can accept SNAP benefits — with supporters saying it’s about healthier food access, and critics warning it could squeeze out small stores.
What’s Being Proposed?
Right now, SNAP-approved retailers must stock:
- 12 staple foods total
- 3 dairy items
- 3 protein items
- 3 grains
- 3 fruits and vegetables
The USDA’s new proposal would require:
- 28 staple foods total
- 7 dairy items
- 7 protein items
- 7 grains
- 7 fruits and vegetables
Federal Perspective
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the proposal is about making sure SNAP lives up to its mission:
“Retailers participating in SNAP need to sell real food, plain and simple. Right now, the bar for stocking food as a SNAP retailer is far too low, allowing people to game the system and leaving vulnerable Americans without healthy food options. These common-sense changes are designed to minimize benefit trafficking and skimming, among other fraudulent activities, while making more nutritious foods available to families who rely on the program. This is another step forward in President Trump’s mission to Make America Healthy Again.”
— Secretary Brooke Rollins
Concerns From Local Advocates
Some advocates worry the added requirements could hit small businesses the hardest:
“These small stores can’t do that. They also don’t have the space to backstock a lot of this food. And if they’re looking at perishable food, you’re looking at a lot of loss. If you don’t sell it, that’s a loss. And, it makes it difficult for these smaller stores to stay in business, whether they’re in urban areas or even rural communities.”
— Katie Plohocky, R&G Food Executive Director
She says the rules could discourage convenience stores, gas stations, and small grocers in food deserts from continuing to accept SNAP.
The Bigger Picture
- The proposal follows Oklahoma’s recent move to ban SNAP purchases of items like soda and candy.
- Supporters argue the federal rule will push families toward healthier diets while cracking down on fraud.
- Critics warn it could backfire by shrinking the number of stores that accept SNAP, especially in rural and food deserts.
RELATED STORY: Candy, soda to be removed from Oklahoma’s SNAP benefits under federal waiver
What’s Next?
- Public comments are open, online, through November 24, 2025.
- Nearly 266,000 retailers currently accept SNAP across the country.
- SNAP households spend about $96 billion annually nationwide.
