As some states prepare to cut junk foods from SNAP, rural grocers face more costs

Grocery stores accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in 12 states will soon have to accommodate new exclusions to the program. Industry advocates say the changes will be expensive, especially for smaller retailers

A dozen states will soon restrict certain junk foods from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved another set of the waiver requests earlier this month.

Grocers in those states – which include Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma and Texas – will have to adapt those new rules as soon as January.

Some of the waivers aim to exclude soft drinks, energy drinks and sweetened drinks, others also restrict candy from eligible SNAP purchases. Each state has a set of definitions for what is considered “candy” or “carbo