Feds sign off on WV’s plan to stop food stamps from paying for soda

by Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch
August 5, 2025

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially approved West Virginia’s plan to disallow the use of federal food assistance benefits to purchase soda and sugary drinks.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Monday joined USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for a news conference announcing approval for West Virginia’s waiver for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps. SNAP program benefits are paid for by the Department of Agriculture and administered through the state.

Morrisey noted during the press conference that West Virginia ranks low or near the bottom of several public health metrics like obesity and diabetes. 

“I believe in telling the truth to the American people about where we are because that’s going to make the rise all the more better when West Virginia is able to reach her potential and to get healthy again,” Morrisey said. “The good news today is that we all have the power to change. And I think the people on stage here today, the wonderful staffs are working at the federal level and the state level to make that happen. I think you’re going to start to see some needle movement in all these categories.”

Morrisey formally requested the waiver in May. He also asked to add certain hot foods to the list of SNAP-approved purchases. That part of the waiver request is still under consideration, a spokesman for Morrisey said. 

Changes to the SNAP program are one part of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. West Virginia was one of the first states in the nation to pass a sweeping ban of artificial dyes in foods sold in grocery stores and restaurants, another part of the MAHA agenda. The state also banned the use of food dyes in school lunches.

“For years, SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to fund soda and candy — products that fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics,” Kennedy said in a news release. “These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health. I thank these governors who have stepped up to request waivers, and I encourage others to follow their lead. This is how we Make America Healthy Again.”

The SNAP changes are also part of a health initiative Morrisey called the “Four Pillars of a Healthy West Virginia.” Other pillars included prohibiting the sale of certain food dyes in the state, and the “Mountaineer Mile” challenge to walk at least a mile a day.

Morrisey said the changes to the SNAP program are “long overdue.”

“I’m happy now that in West Virginia, taxpayers are not going to be subsidizing soda and these sugary drinks — things that have no nutritional value and are directly linked to obesity, diabetes, a lot of other terrible health care outcomes,” he said. 

One in six West Virginians, or approximately 277,000 residents, rely on the SNAP program for food assistance, according to the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. 

In addition to West Virginia, Rollins signed SNAP waivers for the states of Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The waivers change the statutory definition of food for purchase and end the subsidization of popular types of junk food, according to a news release from HHS. The changes take effect in January. 

The federal government approved SNAP waivers for Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho, and Utah earlier this year.

“It is incredible to see so many states take action at this critical moment in our nation’s history and do something to begin to address chronic health problems,” Rollins said in a news release. “President Trump has changed the status quo, and the entire cabinet is taking action to Make America Healthy Again. At USDA, we play a key role in supporting Americans who fall on hard times, and that commitment does not change. Rather, these state waivers promote healthier options for families in need.”

This story has been corrected to reflect that Morrisey’s request for a SNAP waiver to cover certain hot foods is still under consideration by the federal government. 

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