Key Takeaways:
Five SNAP recipients filed a federal lawsuit on March 12 challenging USDA-approved waivers that restrict what can be purchased with food benefits in 22 states.
The lawsuit alleges the USDA violated the Administrative Procedure Act by approving restrictions without proper notice, public input, or evaluation methodology.
One plaintiff's disabled daughter has an eating disorder that limits her to specific foods, some of which are now banned under her state's waiver.
Five SNAP recipients filed suit in DC federal court on March 12 against the US Department of Agriculture. The lawsuit challenges food restriction waivers the USDA approved in 22 states that ban the purchase of candy, soda, energy drinks, and other items deemed low in nutritional value.
The National Center for Law and Economic Justice filed the case on behalf of plaintiffs in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. The lawsuit alleges the USDA exceeded its statutory authority and violated the Administrative Procedure Act by approving the waivers without following required protocols for public notice, input from affected recipients and retailers, or an effective evaluation process.
Confusion on the Ground
The restrictions vary by state, creating what the lawsuit describes as a patchwork that makes it nearly impossible for recipients and retailers to comply. One Iowa plaintiff described reading every ingredient list on every purchase to determine eligibility. A Tennessee plaintiff's daughter has Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, a condition that limits her to a small number of foods. Some of those foods are now banned under the state's waiver. Without them, her only alternative is a feeding tube.
The waivers are tied to the administration's Make America Healthy Again agenda, backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Supporters argue taxpayer dollars should not fund "junk food." The Food Research & Action Center, which supports the lawsuit, argues restrictions stigmatize SNAP participants and are not supported by evidence.
The USDA declined to comment on the pending litigation.
The most notable part of this is the pattern. In the same month the government advanced a Farm Bill that ignores $187 billion in SNAP cuts, 22 states began restricting what the remaining recipients can buy. Systems shrinking from both ends.
People Also Ask
Q: What foods are restricted under SNAP waivers? A: Restrictions vary by state but generally include candy, soda, sugar-sweetened beverages, energy drinks, and prepared desserts.
Q: How many states have SNAP food restriction waivers? A: The USDA has approved food restriction waivers in 22 states as of March 2026.
Q: Who filed the SNAP restriction lawsuit? A: The National Center for Law and Economic Justice filed the lawsuit on behalf of five SNAP recipients in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
Q: What law does the SNAP lawsuit cite? A: The lawsuit alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and claims the USDA exceeded its authority under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.
Sources: Civil Eats | Newsweek | Grocery Dive | FRAC | Prior WYDE coverage: Farm Bill Advances Without Reversing SNAP Cuts