SNAP Changes: What foods could be excluded in Arkansas?
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a plan on Tuesday to exclude certain foods that are currently eligible expenses under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Sanders made the announcement with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke L. Rollins.
The governor said her state's request is aimed at improving the health of more than $300,000 residents who participate in SNAP.
'Taxpayers are subsidizing poor health,' Sanders said. 'We're paying for it on the front end and the back end.'
Here's what would be excluded from SNAP if Arkansas' request is granted by the USDA:
The plan, which would go into effect in July 2026, would exclude soda, including no- and low-calorie soda; fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice; 'unhealthy drinks;' candy, including confections made with flour, like Kit Kat bars; and artificially sweetened candy.
A waiver signed by Arkansas Secretary of Health and Human Services Kristi Putnam said the exclusion would not extend to flavored water, carbonated flavored water, and sports drinks.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces plan to remove sugary foods from SNAP
However, one food item would be added if Arkansas' request is granted: hot, ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken.
'Right now, you can use food stamps to buy a soft drink or candy bar from a gas station, but you can't use them to buy an Arkansas-raised hot rotisserie chicken from a grocery store,' Sanders said. 'That's the definition of crazy.'
The SNAP program is run by the USDA and administered through individual states. It is authorized by the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which says that SNAP benefits can be used for 'any food or food product intended for human consumption,' except alcohol, tobacco and hot foods.
In general, benefits are available to households with gross income at or below 130% of the federal poverty level, or about $33,500 a year for three people, according to the USDA.
Arkansas was not the only state to introduce a plan to ban certain foods from SNAP benefits.
On Tuesday, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun was joined by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to announce sweeping changes to 'put the focus back on nutrition — not candy and soft drinks.'
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appoints new head for Department of Human Services
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – An announcement from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday afternoon marked a change in leadership at the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS). The governor announced that Deputy Secretary Janet Mann will serve as the next DHS Secretary. Current DHS Secretary Kristi Putnam is returning to Kentucky and will depart her role on July 25, having served for two and a half years. Arkansas expands Child Care Assistance Program, adds two additional groups Sanders said Putnam had overhauled programs during her time as DHS head, including foster care, Medicaid, maternal health and food stamps, and that the state was fortunate to have Mann stepping into that role. 'My administration was extraordinarily lucky to have someone with her [Putnam's] skillset and leadership in charge of one of the most critical agencies in state government,' the governor said. 'I am grateful that we have someone as qualified as Janet to take over for Kristi and seamlessly continue to make positive changes at DHS.' Federal, state program helps Arkansans who had their SNAP benefits lost due to scam Sanders complimented Mann for her encyclopedic knowledge of DHS and her leadership skills. 'I am honored by Gov. Sanders' decision to select me for this role and am excited to continue the great work Kristi and I have been able to accomplish in this administration,' Mann said. 'We have made enormous progress in providing support to Arkansans who need it and also in working with other agencies for all Arkansans who want a path to economic independence.' Arkansas DHS changing Medicaid dental from managed care to fee-for-service Mann currently serves as the Deputy Secretary of Programs and State Medicaid Director for the DHS. The Program includes Medicaid, aging, substance abuse & mental health, developmental disabilities, provider services & quality assurance, eligibility, child welfare and youth services. The programs serve approximately one in three Arkansans annually, with a total budget of an estimated $11 billion. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Deion Sanders Breaks Silence Amid Undisclosed Health Issue
Deion Sanders is touched by the outpouring support amid his undisclosed health issue, but the University of Colorado football coach says fans need not worry. Coach Prime took to social media on Wednesday to calm the waters amid speculation there's growing concern about his health. Sanders has been away from the program while reportedly dealing with an illness in Texas. Advertisement That the illness hasn't been disclosed is only adding fuel to the fire. But Sanders is now addressing the issue head-on, sort of. "Wow, I am truly blessed for the abundance of well wishes, for all the thoughts and all of the prayers. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I can assure you all that everything is OKAY and will continue to be so," he tweeted. "God got me like no other. I have so much more work to do to Glorify God so please believe God got me! I'm excited to get back to Colorado to be at home with my staff, team & all associated to our program. When we arrive back to Boulder you will be updated on everything. Until then, I'M COMING BABY." ESPN had previously reported that the 57-year-old coach's return would not be known and no timetable has been set. For his part, Sanders also didn't divulge details on when he'll return to the program, only that he will return at some point. Advertisement Sanders' son, Deion Sanders Jr., said on a YouTube livestream on Sunday that his dad is "feeling well." Later that day, concerns grew after Sanders canceled a speaking engagement in Florida due to "unavoidable last-minute scheduling change," according to The Foundation for Sickle Cell Research. The former Dallas Cowboys great has dealt with some health issues in the past, most notably in 2022, when he had two of his toes on his left foot amputated due to blood clot complications stemming from a prior surgery. Deion Sanders Breaks Silence Amid Undisclosed Health Issue first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2025
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Utah SNAP ban on soda gets green light, along with ‘MAHA' waivers for Idaho, Arkansas
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. speaks to reporters during an event at the University of Utah on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Kyle Dunphey/Utah News Dispatch) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, along with Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., signed three 'Make America Health Again' waivers on Tuesday, allowing three more states to enact restrictions to SNAP benefits. The move adds Utah, Idaho and Arkansas to the list of six states that have banned certain foods from being purchased with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is the U.S.'s largest nutrition assistance program. Arkansas approved to ban SNAP recipients from using benefits for soda, candy Utah's waiver prohibits using SNAP benefits to purchase 'soft drinks,' defined as 'a nonalcoholic beverage that is made with carbonated water and that is flavored and sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners,' according to HB403, the bill the Utah Legislature passed directing the state's Department of Workforce Services to request the waiver. An earlier version of the bill would have also blocked candy purchases, but Utah lawmakers narrowed its scope before approving the bill. Utah's SNAP restrictions, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2026, don't go as far as other states. Arkansas' waiver restricts SNAP participants from purchasing low- and no-calorie soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, and other 'unhealthy drinks,' along with 'confectionary products with flour and artificially sweetened candy, the Arkansas Advocate reported. Arkansas' waiver will take effect July 1, 2026. Idaho's waiver excludes soda and candy and will take effect the same day as Arkansas, on July 1. Rollins previously signed SNAP waivers for Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana. The latest round of SNAP restriction approvals come amid a national movement coined 'Make America Healthy Again,' or MAHA, that's been promoted by U.S. health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In April, Kennedy stopped in Utah as part of his 'MAHA tour.' During his visit he praised Utah's SNAP ban, along with a slate of other 'MAHA bills,' which was headlined by Utah's first-in-the-nation law to ban cities from adding fluoride to drinking water. Idaho Legislature approves ban on SNAP coverage for candy, soda 'Thank you to the governors of Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho, Utah, Iowa, and Nebraska for their bold leadership and unwavering commitment to Make America Healthy Again,' Kennedy said in a news release issued Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 'I call on every governor in the nation to submit a SNAP waiver to eliminate sugary drinks — taxpayer dollars should never bankroll products that fuel the chronic disease epidemic.' Rollins, in a prepared statement, said the Trump administration is 'unified in improving the health of our nation.' 'America's governors have proudly answered the call to innovate by improving nutrition programs, ensuring better choices while respecting the generosity of the American taxpayer,' Rollins said. 'Each waiver submitted by the states and signed is yet another step closer to fulfilling President Trump's promise to Make America Healthy Again.' Critics of the SNAP restrictions, including Democrats and low-income advocates, argued states shouldn't restrict freedom of choice and should treat Americans like adults who can practice personal responsibility. A 'MAHA' bill is making its way through the Utah Legislature Food industry representatives have also expressed concerns about unintended consequences by limiting consumer choices and creating confusion about what can or can't be purchased in grocery stores. They also argued it isn't likely to improve health outcomes. But proponents from Republican-led states argued excluding 'unhealthy' foods from SNAP benefits was 'common sense.' The sponsor of Utah's bill, Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland, called it a 'no brainer' way to safeguard public health and stop 'subsidizing poison for kids.' In a post on X on Wednesday, Chevrier said Utah 'led the charge' by seeking the SNAP waiver while also passing HB402, another bill that banned public schools from serving food with certain food dyes and other additives in them. 'I was honored to sponsor both bills,' she wrote. 'This is the beginning of a critical and long-awaited cultural revolution.' During debate over Utah's bill, Rep. John Hawkins, R-Pleasant Grove, said he was initially hesitant to support the bill, saying he wasn't a 'huge proponent of the government stepping in and telling people what they can and can't consume with their food.' 'But as I thought about it,' Hawkins said in February, 'I've come to the conclusion that in this particular case, I think the government does have the right to say, 'We want you to be healthy and we want to set the parameters around what you can use government subsidies for.'' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE