U.S.D.A. Approves Soda Ban for Food Stamps in Nebraska

For two decades, the federal government has rejected states’ efforts to ban purchases of sugary drinks using food stamps, hesitant, in part, to cross an unusual coalition of corporate interests and anti-poverty groups.

Now, the Trump administration has waded in, approving a first of its kind waiver on Monday for Nebraska to ban purchases of soda and energy drinks through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as food stamps. It is likely to pave the way for more state waivers, signaling a sharp shift in nutrition policy.

Under the proposal, Nebraska will establish a program, beginning in January 2026 and affecting some 150,000 food stamp recipients in the state.

Nebraska, in its waiver application, said it would regularly survey participants in the state to evaluate changes in their spending habits and examine retailer data to assess reductions in purchases of soda and energy drinks. A spokesman for the state’s department of Health and Human Services said that Nebraska would also provide technical assistance to help retailers make the transition.

In a statement on Monday, Brooke L. Rollins, the agriculture secretary, called the approval “a historic step to Make America Healthy Again.” The state’s governor, Jim Pillen, also welcomed the step, saying, “There’s absolutely zero reason for taxpayers to be subsidizing purchases of soda and energy drinks.”

The prohibition adds to the limits recipients face in using the program. Already, their benefits do not apply to hot foods, nonfood items, alcohol and tobacco products. In recent months, Nebraska and other states, largely led by Republican governors, have sought waivers to extend those restrictions to unhealthy purchases.