WASHINTON — A federal district court judge ruled Monday that the USDA exceeded its legal authority by approving state-specific waivers restricting certain foods, including candy and soda, under SNAP.
The decision follows a lawsuit filed in March by SNAP participants in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia—states that had received USDA approval for the waivers.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia wrote that the waivers conflict with the federal law’s definition of “food” under the SNAP program.
Supporters of the waivers, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have argued the measures would prevent SNAP funds from being used on highly processed foods. In her ruling, however, Jackson emphasized that the court was not evaluating the policy merits of the waivers or their potential to address nutrition and health concerns.
“The Court’s analysis should not be taken as a comment on whether the pilot projects are a good idea or not. That is a question of policy that is not before the Court,” Jackson wrote.
