Stephen Gruber-Miller
Des Moines Register
May 22, 2025, 8:25 p.m. CT
Gov. Kim Reynolds hopeful the Trump administration will grant Iowa a Summer EBT waiver
Reynolds says she plans to seek a waiver from the federal Summer EBT program so Iowa can set up its own summer meal program for kids.
When it takes effect, the federal waiver will only allow Iowans to use SNAP dollars to buy foods that are exempt from sales tax in Iowa. That means beginning Jan. 1, 2026, Iowans will not be able to use SNAP dollars to buy items such as candy, pop and other carbonated beverages.
"Soaring obesity rates have brought our nation and state to a crossroads," Reynolds said in a statement. "To promote healthy eating and protect future generations from disease — and to ensure SNAP fulfills its core function — we need a change. Thank you to Secretary Rollins and her team for helping make that change happen."
Reynolds, a Republican, announced May 22 that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins had approved the state's request from a waiver to exempt certain foods from SNAP, which is run by USDA. It took Rollins just 10 days to grant the request after Iowa submitted it May 12.
"President Trump has given our nation a once in a generation opportunity to change the health trajectory for our entire country," Rollins said in a statement. "On my first day as secretary, I sent a call to states to innovate, and Gov. Kim Reynolds stepped up to take action. I look forward to signing even more waivers in the days ahead as we continue to restore the health of our country."
Anti-hunger advocates have said Iowans should be trusted to make their own choices about what foods they buy.
"Iowans should be trusted to make the best food choices for their families," Sheila Hansen, a board member of the Iowa Hunger Coalition and policy advocate and government relations manager for Common Good Iowa, said when the state submitted its waiver request. "Let’s make sure all Iowans have greater access to nutritious food, not punish our low-income neighbors and deny kids a candy bar when they want a treat."
Nearly 260,000 Iowans were enrolled in SNAP as of fiscal year 2024.
Iowa will receive $9.1 million to run Healthy Kids Iowa and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services expects it to serve 65,000 kids.
The federal waiver comes after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass Trump's proposed tax cut bill, which includes changes to SNAP that would require states to pay part of the costs for the program, which has historically been 100% federally funded. The bill also changes work requirements and eligibility for some SNAP recipients.
Iowa Republicans have also tried in the past to limit which foods Iowans can buy with SNAP dollars. This year, the Iowa House passed a bill to do so, but it did not receive a vote in the Senate.
Two years ago, Reynolds signed a law instituting new asset limits and requiring regular eligibility checks for recipients of SNAP and other public assistance programs. Iowa is still in the process of rolling out those requirements.
Source (Archive)
Des Moines Register
May 22, 2025, 8:25 p.m. CT
Gov. Kim Reynolds hopeful the Trump administration will grant Iowa a Summer EBT waiver
Reynolds says she plans to seek a waiver from the federal Summer EBT program so Iowa can set up its own summer meal program for kids.
Key Points
- Beginning in 2026, Iowans will be banned from using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dollars from buying certain foods, including pop and candy.
- President Donald Trump's U.S. Department of Education granted Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' request for a federal waiver on May 22, allowing Iowa to restrict SNAP dollars from being used for some foods.
When it takes effect, the federal waiver will only allow Iowans to use SNAP dollars to buy foods that are exempt from sales tax in Iowa. That means beginning Jan. 1, 2026, Iowans will not be able to use SNAP dollars to buy items such as candy, pop and other carbonated beverages.
"Soaring obesity rates have brought our nation and state to a crossroads," Reynolds said in a statement. "To promote healthy eating and protect future generations from disease — and to ensure SNAP fulfills its core function — we need a change. Thank you to Secretary Rollins and her team for helping make that change happen."
Reynolds, a Republican, announced May 22 that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins had approved the state's request from a waiver to exempt certain foods from SNAP, which is run by USDA. It took Rollins just 10 days to grant the request after Iowa submitted it May 12.
"President Trump has given our nation a once in a generation opportunity to change the health trajectory for our entire country," Rollins said in a statement. "On my first day as secretary, I sent a call to states to innovate, and Gov. Kim Reynolds stepped up to take action. I look forward to signing even more waivers in the days ahead as we continue to restore the health of our country."
Anti-hunger advocates have said Iowans should be trusted to make their own choices about what foods they buy.
"Iowans should be trusted to make the best food choices for their families," Sheila Hansen, a board member of the Iowa Hunger Coalition and policy advocate and government relations manager for Common Good Iowa, said when the state submitted its waiver request. "Let’s make sure all Iowans have greater access to nutritious food, not punish our low-income neighbors and deny kids a candy bar when they want a treat."
Nearly 260,000 Iowans were enrolled in SNAP as of fiscal year 2024.
Republicans in Iowa and nationally are pursuing changes to SNAP, food programs
Earlier this month, the USDA granted a separate waiver request from Reynolds to exempt Iowa from the Summer EBT program. Instead, Iowa will start up a program called "Healthy Kids Iowa" that will allow low-income families with kids to access $40 worth of food per child each month during the summer at food distribution sites around the state.Iowa will receive $9.1 million to run Healthy Kids Iowa and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services expects it to serve 65,000 kids.
The federal waiver comes after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass Trump's proposed tax cut bill, which includes changes to SNAP that would require states to pay part of the costs for the program, which has historically been 100% federally funded. The bill also changes work requirements and eligibility for some SNAP recipients.
Iowa Republicans have also tried in the past to limit which foods Iowans can buy with SNAP dollars. This year, the Iowa House passed a bill to do so, but it did not receive a vote in the Senate.
Two years ago, Reynolds signed a law instituting new asset limits and requiring regular eligibility checks for recipients of SNAP and other public assistance programs. Iowa is still in the process of rolling out those requirements.
Source (Archive)
