RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will no longer be allowed to purchase “sweetened beverages” with SNAP funds beginning in April 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
On Wednesday, Dec. 10, the Food and Nutrition Service, which is part of the USDA, approved the Virginia Department of Social Services’ request to remove “sweetened beverages” from the definition of food that can be purchased through SNAP funds.
The state agency formally requested the change on Nov. 4, according to the USDA.
The removal of “sweetened beverages” from SNAP will begin on April 1, 2026, and will be in effect for two years.
According to the USDA, the specific “sweetened beverages” that will no longer be covered under SNAP in Virginia are sodas, diet and zero sugar sodas, soft drinks and energy drinks.
The USDA said Virginia SNAP recipients will still be able to use funds to buy carbonated water, beverages containing milk, milk products or milk substitutes, mineral water, non-carbonated beverages like iced tea, lemonade, and juice, milk and milk alternatives, even if they are sweetened, as well as infant formula, meal replacement shakes and hydration-focused sports drinks.
The move comes under directives from President Donald Trump’s administration for states to restrict SNAP recipients from being able to purchase what the USDA says are “non-nutritious items like soda and candy.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. secretary of health and human services, has previously vowed to work to remove “highly chemically processed foods” from federal programs like SNAP, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
The USDA website says requests, such as the one made by the Virginia Department of Social Services, are a “key step in ensuring that taxpayer dollars provide nutritious options that improve health outcomes within SNAP.”
As of reporting, other states that were approved for similar SNAP restrictions include West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.