Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Urges Federal Ban on Junk Food Purchases Through SNAP

The Arkansas governor calls for reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, citing health concerns and taxpayer costs.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has sent a letter to incoming Trump administration officials, urging a ban on junk food purchases under the federal SNAP program.
Sanders highlights that nearly 23% of SNAP purchases, or $25 billion annually, are spent on soda, candy, and other unhealthy snacks.
She cites health concerns, including obesity and diabetes, which disproportionately affect low-income families, as a key motivation for the proposed reforms.
Research by Stanford University's Jayanta Bhattacharya suggests that restricting sugary foods in SNAP could prevent obesity in 141,000 children and Type 2 diabetes in 240,000 adults.
Sanders also advocates for promoting healthier, locally sourced foods and plans to seek a waiver to implement these changes in Arkansas.