Gov. Huckabee Sanders Calls on Trump Administration to Stop Junk Food Purchases in SNAP Program

December 12, 2024 TruthUSA

The governor of Arkansas highlighted that the existing program devotes a significant portion of its resources to items associated with obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health problems.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has requested a revamp of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), urging key players in the incoming Trump administration to eliminate junk food items like soda, candy, and desserts from the taxpayer-funded initiative.

In a recent video message shared on social media, Sanders stated that reallocating SNAP funds away from unhealthy products could enhance public health and lessen costs for taxpayers.

She pointed out that the current program, which incurs an annual cost of $113 billion, spends a considerable portion of its budget—nearly $25 billion—on items that are linked to obesity, diabetes, and various chronic health issues.

“SNAP is essential for families in need, but it also serves as a significant taxpayer subsidy for items like soda, candy, and desserts,” Sanders remarked in the video.

She noted that these categories represent “23 percent of all SNAP expenditures.”

“President Trump and his cabinet are dedicated to ‘Making America Healthy Again’ and providing our struggling families with the nutritious food they deserve,” she stated.

In a separate letter issued publicly on December 10, Sanders addressed Trump’s nominee for the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the nominee for the Department of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins.

In her letter, Sanders stated, “As you are aware, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a $113 billion federal initiative designed to assist low-income families with food access. Regrettably, this ‘Nutrition Assistance’ program is compromising the health of millions of Americans, utilizing taxpayer funds to promote the consumption of highly processed, unhealthy junk food.”

She referenced research conducted by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and his team at Stanford University, highlighting their findings that removing sugary drinks and soda from SNAP could prevent obesity in 141,000 children and Type 2 diabetes in 240,000 adults.

Sanders contended that excluding unhealthy options would not only improve public health outcomes but also bolster farmers in Arkansas and across the country who cultivate nutritious products locally.

In her letter, Sanders notified the incoming officials of her plan to pursue a SNAP Waiver that would “promote fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, and protein while prohibiting the use of SNAP funds for junk food.”

She concluded by reiterating her dedication to the administration’s goals, asserting, “Together, we can, and we will, Make America Healthy Again.”

Currently, households are only restricted from purchasing items like alcohol, tobacco, vitamins, supplements, live animals, food sold hot at the point of sale, and non-food products, such as pet food, cleaning supplies, and hygiene items, according to the USDA.

The Food and Nutrition Act, which governs how the SNAP program operates, states that states may prohibit certain items if they receive approval from the USDA “to conduct demonstration projects and pilot studies to exclude foods from SNAP.”

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