GOP Leader Urges Ban on Junk Food for Food Stamp Users

(LibertySociety.com) – Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is urging the incoming Trump administration to take bold steps toward improving public health by banning junk food from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In a letter addressed to Health and Human Services Secretary-nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Agriculture Secretary-nominee Brooke Rollins, Sanders emphasized the urgent need for reform in the $113 billion federal program, which is meant to provide food assistance for low-income families.

“Sadly, this ‘Nutrition Assistance’ program is undermining the health of millions of Americans, on the taxpayers’ dime, by encouraging families to eat highly processed, unhealthy junk food,” Sanders wrote in the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital. She highlighted alarming statistics showing that soda, candy, and processed snacks make up nearly 23%—or $25 billion—of all SNAP purchases.

Sanders pointed to the devastating health outcomes tied to poor diets, including rising rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, particularly among lower-income families who disproportionately rely on SNAP. In Arkansas, where 40% of residents struggle with obesity and one-third are diabetic or pre-diabetic, these conditions are especially pronounced.

The governor, a mother of three, cited research by Stanford Professor Jayanta Bhattacharya, Trump’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health. His work concluded that removing sugary snacks and drinks from SNAP could prevent obesity in 141,000 children and Type 2 diabetes in 240,000 adults.

“Health-centered SNAP reform offers a great opportunity for Americans to support Arkansas farmers by enjoying locally grown and harvested products,” Sanders added, listing fresh produce and proteins that could replace processed foods.

The letter aligns with Kennedy’s outspoken stance against unhealthy foods and their impact on public health. He has criticized the processed food industry for corrupting government agencies and contributing to what he called a “toxic soup” affecting a generation of children.

Sanders’ proposal also includes seeking a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow Arkansas to implement stricter rules for SNAP purchases, favoring fresh and nutritious foods over processed junk.

In closing, Sanders expressed confidence in the Trump administration’s support for her health-focused vision: “Together, we can, and we will, Make America Healthy Again.”

Her call for reform is likely to resonate with the incoming administration, which has signaled a desire to challenge entrenched norms in public health and food policy. If enacted, the changes could mark a significant shift in how federal nutrition assistance is administered.

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