USDA grants waiver to ban candy, soft drinks from SNAP in South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The United States Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that it has granted a request to ban candy, soft drinks and other items from food stamp programs in multiple states - including South Carolina.
In a statement released Wednesday, United States Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said that the waivers were granted as part of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
“Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic diseases epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long,” Rollins said in a statement. “America’s governors are answering that call with courage and innovation, offering solutions that honor the generosity of the taxpayer while helping families live longer, healthier lives.”
The approval comes after Gov. Henry McMaster directed the state to submit a waiver request to the USDA in September “to exclude the purchase of candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages from the list of eligible foods under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps.”
Click or tap here to read the full waiver that was submitted.
McMaster said in a statement Wednesday that the waiver approval “keeps South Carolina at the forefront” of healthy eating initiatives.
“Thank you to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for approving our light-touch, common-sense approach to strengthen the SNAP program by promoting healthier outcomes for South Carolinians,” he said. “By encouraging families to purchase healthy, nutritious food – and not junk food – we ensure federal taxpayer dollars are used to their maximum benefit and keep South Carolina at the forefront of the effort to Make America Healthy Again.”
The change in approved SNAP purchases is set to begin in 2026.
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