Federal Judge Blocks USDA SNAP Waivers Restricting Sugary Drinks and Candy in Five States

A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) lacked statutory authority to approve state waivers allowing restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases of soda, candy, and other sugary items in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued the decision on June 22, 2026, siding with five SNAP recipients who challenged the approvals as exceeding congressional limits on what qualifies as 'food' under the program.[1][2]

The waivers were part of a broader push under the Trump administration's 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) agenda, supported by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had urged states to exclude sugary beverages from SNAP to combat chronic disease. The USDA had approved similar restrictions across 23 states by mid-2026, with some already in effect.[3]

In her opinion, Jackson emphasized that Congress defined eligible 'food' broadly in the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to include most items for home consumption (excluding alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared foods), and did not grant the agency power to carve out categories like soft drinks via efficiency waivers. The ruling vacates the specific waivers for the five plaintiff states but leaves the policy debate open, with the USDA signaling it will continue pursuing lawful avenues for healthier SNAP options.[4]

The lawsuit, filed in March 2026 by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice on behalf of recipients in the affected states, argued the restrictions would limit access to affordable calories for low-income households amid rising food costs. Critics of the waivers noted potential short-term impacts on household budgets and dietary flexibility, while supporters highlighted long-term public health goals. The decision underscores limits on administrative reinterpretation of statutory definitions in nutrition assistance programs.[5]