Full Breakdown
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Restrictions Target 2.7 Million Recipients in Five States Amid Legal Challenge and Declining Enrollment
8/23/2026, 6:23:03 AM
Core Policy Rollout
Beginning August 31, the South Carolina Department of Social Services will prohibit SNAP purchases of candy, energy drinks, soft drinks with added sugar and other sweetened beverages. North Dakota follows on September 1 with similar bans on sugary and artificially-sweetened drinks, while Montana’s restrictions start September 30, covering candy, high-sugar beverages, energy drinks and shelf-stable desserts. Ohio and Virginia will implement their rules on October 1, eliminating SNAP coverage for sodas, diet sodas, zero-calorie sodas, carbonated energy drinks and other drinks containing added sugars or corn-based sweeteners. Retailers will block the specified items at checkout; monthly benefit amounts remain unchanged.
Background & Context
The restrictions are part of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda and were enabled by the One Big Beautiful Bill, signed in July 2025. The legislation also altered work-requirement rules and non-citizen eligibility for SNAP. Since its enactment, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities calculated that SNAP participation fell by more than 4.5 million people (11 %) nationwide between July 2025 and April 2026. In the five states slated for new limits, USDA data show participation declined by about 298 000 people from April 2025 to April 2026.
Data & Statistics
- South Carolina SNAP participants (April): 495,445 – down 12.7 % from the prior year.
- North Dakota participants: 51,706.
- Montana participants: 71,103.
- Ohio participants: 1,341,017.
- Virginia participants: 710,416.
- Combined total in the five states (USDA, April): just over 2.6 million, representing the 2.7 million people who will face the new restrictions.
- National enrollment fell from 42.2 million (May 2025) to 36.6 million (May 2026), a 13 % decline.
Official Statements & Responses
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has argued that SNAP should be “refocused on nutrition” and that the restrictions are “commonsense” measures to curb “sugar bombs” that fuel obesity, diabetes and rising health-care costs. Rollins posted on X after a June 22 ruling, stating that an “activist judge” blocked the administration’s effort but that the fight will continue.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled on June 22 that the USDA exceeded its statutory authority when it approved similar restrictions in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia, vacating those approvals. The judgment did not directly affect the waivers for the five states covered here, which remain listed on the USDA’s food-restriction page.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics argue that shaming or restricting choices can increase anxiety, depression and disordered eating. Others note that the rules may reduce choice without addressing why low-income households often purchase cheaper, readily available items, and they call for broader investments in food access rather than benefit restrictions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- USDA figures place SNAP participation in the five targeted states at just over 2.6 million (April 2025).
- WesternMassNews cites a national drop from 42.2 million to 36.6 million within a year, a 13 % decline.
- PublicSource estimates that more than 5 million people have lost SNAP access since the July 2025 law.
These differing totals reflect varying scopes and methodological bases, leaving the precise impact of the new restrictions on overall enrollment unclear.
What’s Next
The scheduled implementation dates—August 31 (South Carolina), September 1 (North Dakota), September 30 (Montana), and October 1 (Ohio and Virginia)—remain in effect. The USDA continues to list the five states’ waivers as active, despite the June 22 judicial decision affecting other states. Ongoing litigation may challenge the authority of the USDA to impose health-focused restrictions, potentially altering the rollout.
