U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins expressed support for Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who submitted a waiver to the USDA. This waiver aims to modify the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by banning soda and candy and adding hot rotisserie chicken.
"Governor Sanders is confronting childhood disease head on, and it starts with what families consume," said Secretary Rollins. "Today’s waiver announcement is a welcome one, and I look forward to moving through the approval process swiftly. I encourage more states across the nation to follow the bold lead of states like Arkansas as we Make America Healthy Again."
Governor Sanders shared that the waiver aligns with the administration's focus on addressing chronic disease. "President Trump and his administration have put a laser focus on solving America’s chronic disease epidemic and reforming our food stamp program is a great place to start," she stated. Sanders emphasized that the ban will help low-income Arkansans by removing unhealthy options and encouraging better eating habits. "Arkansas leads the nation in common-sense, conservative reforms and this move is a strong first step toward broader changes to our food stamp program."
According to Kristi Putnam, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services, this reform is expected to benefit over 100,000 households in the state. "Helping Arkansans improve their health is a top priority for our agency across all programs, and encouraging people to use their SNAP benefits for healthier foods is an important step that we believe will be truly beneficial to the people we serve," she said, acknowledging the leadership of Governor Sanders and the support from Secretary Rollins.
