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.

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Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank are teaming up to bring awareness to their organizations at rural farmers markets, prime community gathering spaces.

The big picture: Crystal Bridges and the food bank will be stationed together at the museum's mobile art lab to reach those who may not otherwise interact with the art museum.

• Likewise, the food bank will be able to reach those who need access to food as well as those who may be able to donate or volunteer, food bank director of programs Sabrina Thiede told Axios.

The intrigue: Although Crystal Bridges seeks to make art accessible to everyone with its free permanent collection, the museum still might be out of the comfort zone of those served by the food bank, Thiede said.

How it happened: The effort is part of the museum's Arts and Social Impact Accelerator Program, spokesperson Michelle Moore told Axios.

• The program is designed to cultivate partnerships that "incubate ideas that creatively address social issues through collaboration, arts-based solutions, and socially-engaged experiences," according to Crystal Bridges.

Flashback: The two organizations previously worked together during the pandemic when museum staff helped the food bank with tasks usually performed by volunteers who weren't able to come help because of precautions, Thiede said.

What's next: The mobile art lab will be at farmers markets in Huntsville on Saturday and Berryville on July 14, Gravette on Aug. 16, Farmington on Sept. 13 and Siloam Springs on Oct. 11.

• It may also go to larger markets in September, Hunger Action Month.

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👔 William Dillard, III, senior vice president and board member of Dillard's Inc. of Little Rock, told a group Tuesday that the company is looking at other sourcing options for its clothing due to the impact of tariffs. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

🎨 The Bentonville City Council voted to keep the controversial "All Bike(r)s Welcome" public art that is in a tunnel underneath Northwest Third Street near the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve as-is with the exception of Instagram handles for artist Paige Dirksen and All Bikes Welcome. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

🫖 Entrepreneurs plan to open Fayetteville Tea House at 315 W. Center St. in Fayetteville. An opening date has not yet been set. (Fayetteville Flyer)

Arkansas' Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was in Washington, D.C., this week, was asked about the ongoing contentious protests and unrest in Los Angeles.

What she's saying: "We wouldn't have this problem in Arkansas in the first place because we would never choose rioters and criminal illegals over American law enforcement," Sanders said in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.

• "I think it's insane that it has gone as far as it has, but I'm thankful we have a president who's going to choose American law enforcement, who's going to choose law and order over chaos and criminals, and that's exactly what we're seeing happen in California right now."

The other side: "Like many states, California is no stranger to this sort of unrest. We manage it regularly and with our own law enforcement," Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a televised speech late Tuesday.

• The protests were largely peaceful and contained to a few blocks in L.A, he said, but the "use of tear gas, flash bang grenades, rubber bullets and federal agents detaining people and undermining their due process rights" made the situation worse.
• "This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk," Newsom said.