Little Rock, Arkansas — Arkansas is moving ahead with new SNAP purchasing limits that will block beneficiaries from using food aid to buy candy, soda, and certain sugary drinks beginning Wednesday, despite a recent federal court ruling against similar waiver-based restrictions in other states.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the rollout Monday, arguing that public assistance should not subsidize products tied to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. The policy is part of a broader push backed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins under the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign.
The Arkansas waiver also bars SNAP purchases of fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, energy drinks, and some sweetened ready-made beverages. State officials say the new AR SNAP Companion app, developed by Sifter Solutions, will help shoppers scan products and confirm whether they remain eligible at more than 2,500 SNAP-authorized retailers.
Critics say the rule could add confusion at checkout and increase costs for small grocers, while supporters frame it as a public health measure. A federal judge last week ruled that USDA lacked authority to approve similar restrictions in five other states, but Arkansas officials say their program will continue unless ordered otherwise.
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