(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she hopes the Trump Administration appeals a federal court ruling, so Iowa’s policy that had prohibited federal food assistance from being used to buy candy and soft drinks can go back into effect.
“I think it’s so important,” Reynolds said. “This is about the health of our kids and our data is horrible.” Reynolds says 40 percent of American adults and 20 percent of children are obese and taxpayers should not be paying for unhealthy food through SNAP — the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.
“It’s not a mandate that they can’t have those items. I think that gets lost in this whole conversation,” Reynolds says. “…It just says that if taxpayer dollars are going to be used to provide nutritional food for our kids, that’s the intent of the program and we should adhere to that.”
The U-S-D-A had granted Iowa a waiver to proceed with its SNAP benefit limitations in January. Federal law currently prohibits SNAP benefits from being used to buy alcohol, tobacco or hot food products ready for immediate consumption. Last month a federal judge ruled the U-S-D-A does not authority to grant waivers that go beyond that list.
Reynolds says state officials are working with Iowa retailers to ensure all revert to the previous list of approved foods that SNAP benefits can buy. “We’ve got a pause. We’re still working on some technology,” Reynolds said. “Everything will move forward.”
Iowa’s previous policy — in effect for the past six months — said SNAP benefits couldn’t be used to pay for candy, soft drinks, energy drinks or sugary beverages with less than 50 percent fruit or vegetable juice. Nebraska, Colorado, Tennessee and West Virginia had U-S-D-A waivers to enforce similar restrictions, but the judge’s order has nullified those as well.
