SNAP Soda and Candy Waivers

Restricting SNAP (food-stamp) purchases of soda, candy, and similar items is a core MAHA priority that Calley Means champions publicly — he has called taxpayer-funded soda “the most evil public policy in America,” citing estimates that roughly $10 billion a year in government food aid flows to soda companies. USDA approved waivers in more than 20 states allowing them to restrict those purchases.

The program hit a major legal obstacle on June 22, 2026, when U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson vacated the waivers for five states (Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia), ruling that USDA lacked the authority to redefine “food” and had skipped required notice-and-comment procedures. The ruling is a significant setback for the wider waiver program and set up a continuing legal fight.

Five states — Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia — began their new SNAP restrictions on soda and candy even as the legal battle continued, according to Prism News reporting.

Timeline

• 2025–2026: USDA approves SNAP waivers in 20+ states restricting soda and candy purchases.
• ~March 2026: Means publicly frames taxpayer-funded soda as “the most evil public policy in America,” citing ~$10B/year flowing to soda companies.
• June 22, 2026: U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson vacates waivers for Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia (USDA lacked authority; notice-and-comment skipped).
• June 2026: Five states begin new SNAP soda-and-candy restrictions (per Prism News).