HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, announced the implementation of six new state waivers, including one for Florida, to remove junk food from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This initiative is part of the Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again campaign.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Florida has joined West Virginia, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas in adopting these new SNAP waivers. These states follow Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho, and Utah, which signed similar waivers earlier this year.
The USDA defines restricted junk food under these recent waivers as “soda, candy, and other products high in sugar and low in nutritional value,” encompassing soft drinks, candy, energy drinks, and packaged desserts.
Under federal SNAP rules, hot prepared foods are not eligible for purchase except through the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) for elderly, disabled, or homeless recipients in certain states.
Kennedy said that SNAP recipients spend approximately $405 million per day on sugary drinks alone—about 10% of daily SNAP spending. He added that when candies are included in this calculation, the share rises to between 13% and 17%.
The FDA and USDA are launching a joint Request for Information to develop a federally recognized uniform definition of ultra-processed foods. This effort aims to increase transparency for consumers and combat diet-related chronic diseases. The initiative seeks public input on criteria for classification since over 70% of packaged foods and 60% of children’s calories come from items often considered ultra-processed. These have been linked to serious health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and neurological disorders.
