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USDA emphasizes nutrition agenda: SNAP waivers, dietary guidelines and rural health funds
Summary
USDA officials highlighted new SNAP waivers across multiple states, upcoming federal dietary guidelines to prioritize whole foods, and a rural health transformation fund intended to increase federal and Medicaid support for rural health care over five years.
USDA officials used the event to link a new regenerative agriculture pilot to a broader nutrition agenda that includes recently signed SNAP waivers, revised Farm to School grants, and actions to bolster rural health care.
The opening speaker said the administration had signed additional SNAP waivers for multiple states and later recited a list of states referenced in the event: waivers signed "30 minutes ago" included Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, and an earlier set included Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, Louisiana, Florida, Colorado, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Texas. The officials said details will be published in the official press release.
USDA also said it revised Farm to School grants to streamline the application process and expand market access for small family farms; the transcript reported a record number of applications described as "6 45" (transcript text) and indicated awards would be announced early in the spring.
Secretary Bobby Kennedy and other speakers framed the nutrition work as part of the Maha report recommendations to address chronic disease and improve nutrient density in food. Kennedy said the report included roughly 120 recommendations and that voluntary incentives will help farmers transition toward soil-health practices without coercion.
Officials described efforts to build demand for higher-quality foods through the new dietary guidelines, which they said would be released in the coming weeks. They also said the administration is seeking to incorporate clinician conversations about healthy food into routine care and to incentivize plans such as Medicare Advantage to provide nutritious supplemental benefits that align with the forthcoming guidelines.
Speakers described a proposal discussed in the event called the rural health transformation fund, which was said to aim for a roughly 50% increase in federal and Medicaid dollars for rural health care over the current standard across five years; the transcript included a numeric phrasing that requires verification (described in the transcript as "50,000,000,000 every year spread out over 5 years"). The administration said the combination of nutrition guidance, SNAP waivers and other actions aims to reduce long-term health care spending by improving diet-related health outcomes.
Reporters pressed officials on the specifics of funding sources and program mechanics. USDA officials repeatedly said they would provide additional written materials and press releases to clarify details that were not specified during the event.
The event closed with seasonal greetings and a note that further announcements and monthly events will follow as the administration moves forward on these priorities.
