A new bill introduced by Iowa House Republicans last week could dramatically reduce the types of food people in the state can buy using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a form of federal food assistance for people with little or no income. Recipients can use SNAP benefits to buy a variety of items at the grocery store, including fruits, vegetables, meats, breads, snacks and more.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service administers the SNAP program. The new bill, introduced Jan. 11, proposes that Iowa request a waiver from the USDA to allow it to limit the foods that can be purchased with SNAP benefits in the state. The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HuffPost.
The proposed waiver would limit SNAP purchases to items that appear on the state’s approved list of foods for another federal initiative, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. Also known as WIC, the program provides food assistance to pregnant women, new mothers and young children and is significantly more limited than SNAP.
“Iowans on SNAP would not be able to buy meat, flour, butter, cooking oil, frozen prepared foods,” Luke Elzinga, president of the nonprofit Iowa Hunger Coalition, told News Now in Iowa. “It’s a huge list.”
Instead of fresh meat, canned salmon and tuna would be allowed, according to a list of approved WIC Iowa foods. In addition to staples such as flour and oil, other prohibited items would include canned soup and sliced cheese. Only brown rice, not white, would be allowed, and shoppers would have to swap white bread and pasta for 100 percent whole grain versions.
The Iowa Hunger Coalition rejected the bill in a statement, saying it would “limit the ability of SNAP participants to make their own food choices, take food from Iowa residents and increase hunger and food insecurity in our state.” .
In addition to limiting eligible alimony, the bill would also impose more restrictions that would cause people to qualify for SNAP sooner.
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