ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), along with NATSO, Representing America’s Travel Centers and Truck Stops, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to extend by 60 days the public comment period for its proposed rule revising staple food stocking requirements for SNAP-authorized retailers.
In a joint letter, the associations said the proposed changes are both technical and far-reaching, requiring additional time for retailers to assess operational impacts and provide informed feedback. “FNS understandably took considerable time to craft this proposed rule, and stakeholders need a similar opportunity to review, evaluate and provide meaningful input,” the letter stated.
NACS is also conducting a member survey to gather input from retailers of all sizes, including single-store operators, who represent more than 60% of the convenience store industry. These small businesses, the association noted, face particular challenges in analyzing complex regulatory proposals while maintaining day-to-day operations.
“Convenience retailers want to get this right,” said Margaret Mannion, director of government relations for NACS. “A short extension would ensure FNS receives thoughtful, data-driven feedback that reflects how these proposed changes would impact stores and the customers who rely on them.”
The groups further pointed to the ongoing federal government shutdown as an obstacle to stakeholder engagement, since agency staff have paused external meetings. Extending the deadline, they wrote, would “allow these important conversations to resume and ensure that FNS receives thorough, data-driven feedback.”
Issued in late September, the proposed rule would significantly expand the number and types of staple food varieties that SNAP-authorized retailers must stock. NACS and its members are continuing to review the rule’s implications and plan to submit comprehensive comments once their evaluation is complete.
