The U.S. Department of Agriculture is pushing for new requirements that could change which retailers can accept SNAP benefits — with supporters saying it’s about healthier food access, and critics warning it could squeeze out small stores.

What’s Being Proposed?

Right now, SNAP-approved retailers must stock:

12 staple foods total

3 dairy items

3 protein items

3 grains

3 fruits and vegetables

The USDA’s new proposal would require:

28 staple foods total

7 dairy items

7 protein items

7 grains

7 fruits and vegetables

Federal Perspective

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the proposal is about making sure SNAP lives up to its mission:

“Retailers participating in SNAP need to sell real food, plain and simple. Right now, the bar for stocking food as a SNAP retailer

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