Federal Judge Blocks Iowa SNAP Soda Ban

A federal judge has blocked a Trump administration effort to allow states, including Iowa, to ban soda and candy from SNAP, ruling that the USDA overstepped its authority. The decision halts Iowa's active pilot program and prevents 23 states from testing food restriction waivers aimed at improving public health and reducing diet-related disease.

What the Federal Ruling Means for Iowa

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued a 68-page decision stating that Congress did not authorize the USDA to amend or waive the definition of eligible food under the Food and Nutrition Act. The judge declared the department cannot cut types of food out of SNAP entirely.

This ruling overturns USDA approvals that allowed states to test pilot programs removing items like soda and candy from SNAP eligibility. Iowa was one of the states with an active waiver program, meaning the state's roughly 242,000 SNAP recipients will no longer be subject to the restrictions.

Why the USDA and States Wanted to Restrict Soda

The restriction policy was part of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s