Arkansas will ban candy and sugary drinks from SNAP
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Low-income Arkansans who rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will soon not be able to use the program to purchase candy or sugary drinks, including soda.
The big picture: Arkansas is among at least six states seeking to reform the program at the state level. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Arkansas' waiver request this week and has also recently approved waivers in Utah, Indiana, Iowa, Idaho and Nebraska.
- What is specifically excluded in each state varies, with Nebraska specifically banning SNAP dollars from going toward energy drinks and soda, for example.
How it works: Arkansas will exclude "soda, low and no-calorie soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, unhealthy drinks, and candy," according to the waiver.
- Candy includes "confectionary products with flour and artificially sweetened candy."
What they're saying: "One-third of Arkansans have diabetes or pre-diabetes," a news release from Sanders' office states. "Studies have consistently shown the link between the overconsumption of sugary, highly processed foods like soft drinks and candy and chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension."
Yes, but: The request to add rotisserie chicken as an eligible item to be purchased with SNAP is still pending, Arkansas Department of Human Services spokesperson Keith Metz told Axios.
- Sanders announced she would pursue that change in April and said the affordable, healthy protein should be an exception to the rule that excludes prepared foods from the program.
- She will continue pursing the addition of rotisserie chicken through a separate waiver and ongoing discussions with USDA, Sanders' spokesperson Sam Dubke told Axios.
- USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said during an announcement about the waiver that the department was working through the technicalities of being able to make that change.
By the numbers: As of April, 122,708 households in Arkansas were on SNAP. The state received about $40.8 million per month in federal SNAP benefits in the past year, Arkansas DHS spokesperson Gavin Lesnick told Axios this spring.
- Data specific to the state regarding how much of the benefits go toward the types of items Sanders sought to exclude was unavailable.
- However, Sanders has said about 23% of SNAP spending nationally goes toward soft drinks, unhealthy snacks, candy and desserts.
What's next: The new rules go into effect July 1, 2026.