SNAP junk food bans now cover 18 states, including Virginia (December 10, 2025 )
December 10, 2025 — Agriculture Secretary Rollins approved six additional SNAP food restriction waivers, bringing the total to 18 states, with Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Hawaii among the new additions. Combined with the January 1, 2026 implementation dates for Indiana, Iowa, Utah, and West Virginia, the rules took effect almost immediately for over 1.4 million SNAP recipients in those states.
Each state's waiver differs in scope — most restrict soda and candy purchases, some extend to energy drinks and other sweetened beverages. The growing patchwork of state-by-state rules drew sustained criticism from grocery industry associations, which warned of checkout confusion, IT system compliance costs, and difficulties keeping pace with new products entering the market.
Anti-hunger advocates noted that states were simultaneously navigating implementation of the sweeping eligibility and work requirement changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill, compounding administrative strain at state agencies. The Food Research and Action Center warned that the waivers introduce additional burden on recipients and retailers at exactly the moment when SNAP's reach is already being curtailed.
| https://civileats.com/2025/12/10/usda-signs-more-snap-food-restriction-waivers/ |