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Lawmakers urge USDA to restrict sugary drinks in SNAP and consider 'Buy American' purchases; Rollins says waivers and state partnerships underway
Summary
Members pushed Secretary Rollins to constrain sugary beverage purchases with SNAP waivers and to prioritize domestic food purchases in nutrition programs; Rollins said governors were being offered waivers and noted that sugary beverages represent a large share of SNAP spending.
WASHINGTON — House members pressed Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to promote healthier purchases and on whether USDA could steer program purchases toward U.S. producers.
Representative Harris (chair) and other members suggested policies to limit SNAP purchases of sugary drinks and to encourage purchase of domestic produce. "There is nothing that we can't grow... If you're buying seafood on it, statistic is that the overwhelming majority of our seafoods overseas doesn't need to be," one member told the secretary, arguing a buy‑American approach in SNAP could shift billions toward U.S. farmers.
Secretary Rollins described outreach to governors and the use of waivers to encourage state experimentation with healthier benefit rules. "We've been within an hour of walking in the doors at USDA on February 13, a letter went out to every single governor in the country saying send us your waiver... Sarah's point, she, governor Sanders, she obviously, moved the sugary junk food out," Rollins said, and added that sugary beverages represent roughly $12 billion of SNAP purchases.
Why it matters: SNAP is the nation’s largest nutrition assistance program and how benefits are used has implications for public health and for agricultural markets. Buy‑American rules or targeted nutrition incentives could shift billions of dollars in demand.
Members also raised WIC cash value vouchers and the need to protect funding for fruit and vegetable vouchers; Secretary Rollins said the department was reviewing nutrition program funding and reinstating certain waivers to permit states to pursue healthier benefit designs. She encouraged continued engagement with governors of both parties to implement changes.
Next steps: Rollins invited further discussion with members and governors and said USDA would pursue waivers and state partnerships to advance healthier purchases and potentially boost domestic procurement.
