Nebraska and Iowa Governors Tell USDA to Preserve C-Stores in SNAP

NACS is awaiting final regulations from the Department of Agriculture this month.

December 01, 2016

WASHINGTON – In the waning days of the Obama administration, NACS is anticipating the final regulation on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) retailer eligibility to be issued soon.

Before a regulation is finalized, it must be reviewed and approved by the administration’s Office of Management & Budget (OMB); the Food & Nutrition Service sent its final rule to OMB in October. Last week, NACS met with OMB staff to discuss the industry’s concerns with the proposal that drastically impacts retailers’ eligibility standards and would, if enacted as drafted, force thousands of c-stores out of the program.

On Monday, Governor Terry Brandstad of Iowa and Governor Pete Ricketts of Nebraska sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) asking for a redraft of the department’s proposal to ensure vulnerable Americans have access to c-stores and other retailers for their SNAP benefits.

“Many Americans, including the 15% of rural households that are food insecure, live several miles away from grocery stores or have restricted transportation options. Fortunately, in the many rural and urban communities, small format retailers fill food access needs in SNAP,” wrote the governors. “Taken together the proposed rules could limit food access and would be impractical for many small-town food retailers, resulting in many unintended consequences for Iowans and Nebraskans to access foods.”

The governors’ correspondence follows a stream of letters to the USDA by members of the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and the Congressional Black Caucus urging the department to preserve congressional intent in the original Farm Bill language and redraft its regulation so that it is workable for small format retailers and does not limit food access for SNAP families.

Stay tuned to NACS Daily for the latest updates on the SNAP regulations.

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