U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has signed waivers to change the definition of food for purchase under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) in Indiana and Iowa, starting in 2026. This decision follows a similar waiver signed earlier in Nebraska.
"President Trump has given our nation a once in a generation opportunity to change the health trajectory for our entire country," said Secretary Rollins. She emphasized her call to states to innovate, acknowledging Governors Jim Pillen, Kim Reynolds, Mike Braun, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Laura Kelly, Patrick Morrisey, Jared Polis, Brad Little, Spencer Cox, and Greg Abbott for their actions.
Governor Braun expressed pride in Indiana's role within the Make America Healthy Again initiative. "Today Secretary Rollins signed our waiver to return SNAP in Indiana to its intended purpose: nutrition," he stated.
Governor Reynolds highlighted the need for change due to rising obesity rates. "To promote healthy eating and protect future generations from disease—and to ensure SNAP fulfills its core function—we need a change," she said.
Before these waivers were issued, SNAP recipients could purchase any item except alcohol, tobacco, hot foods, and personal care products. The new waivers expand this list of exclusions. In Indiana, soft drinks and candy will be excluded from January 1, 2026. Iowa's waiver excludes any food item eligible for sales tax including sweetened beverages, snacks, and candy starting on the same date.
These measures are part of the Make America Healthy Again agenda aimed at reversing negative health trends across the U.S., such as prediabetes affecting one in three children ages 12 to 19; with 40% of school-aged children having at least one chronic condition; and 15% of high school students consuming sodas daily.
