National Grocers Association (NGA) welcomes congressional action to protect grocers and SNAP participants in the FY 2025 Agriculture Appropriations Act

Washington, DC – The National Grocers Association (NGA) commends members of Congress for safeguarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the FY 2025 Farm Appropriations Act by removing a provision that would have caused widespread disruption and compromised SNAP’s effectiveness.

One proposal that was dropped from the final bill would have created a pilot program in five states to significantly limit the types of foods covered by SNAP. Grocers would have been forced to examine hundreds of thousands of foods to determine which ones qualify and which ones don’t. The proposed pilot program would have allowed five-state governments to pick winners and losers in the food sector, harming the 42 million SNAP participants with their diverse dietary needs.

“Fortunately, members of Congress recognized that a proposal that was simple on paper would have created confusion for program participants and a costly bureaucratic nightmare for small businesses across this country,” said Stephanie Johnson, RDN, NGA’s vice president of government relations. “The strength of SNAP lies in its efficient and flexible design. We are proud to support the continuation of an effective and impactful program for families and local economies.”

The successful amendment, introduced by Congressman Sanford Bishop, repealed a pilot project that would have restricted SNAP purchases of “non-nutritious foods or beverages” in five states, a potentially disastrous measure that would have turned grocers into food police. Representatives Bishop, DeLauro, Espaillat and Watson-Coleman voted to keep SNAP Choice, the current arrangement that gives participants the freedom to buy what’s right for their families. The amendment passed by voice vote after intense lobbying by the NGA.

NGA is also pleased that the Senate passed legislation authorizing funding for agriculture without new restrictions on SNAP purchases.

This victory follows the NGA’s commitment to making the SNAP vote a central issue during our Fair Competition Fly-In. Credit also goes to the NGA Grocery Guard, who immediately reached out to the House Budget Committee to ask for support for the change.

About NGA

NGA is the national trade association representing the grocery retailers and wholesalers that make up the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled retail grocery business that operates in a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector represents approximately 1.2 percent of the nation’s total economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include grocery retailers and wholesalers in every congressional district in the country, as well as state grocery retailers’ associations, manufacturers and service providers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.