Energized by the Make America Healthy Again movement led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has approved several states’ requests to restrict certain foods in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. While SNAP restrictions on “unhealthy” foods have received all the headlines in the quest for better health outcomes on a modest $6-per-day benefit, SNAP incentives of nutrient-dense foods offer much greater returns on investment for American taxpayers and shoppers.
The justification for incentives is straightforward: SNAP incentives are proven to change behavior for the better. For example, SNAP consumers participating in the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), which provides additional dollars when consumers choose produce, consume more fruits and vegetables than the average non-SNAP shopper. As a result, nearly 90% of participants report satisfaction with the program, which has led to high demand for extending incentive programs across the country.
An equivalent SNAP incentive program for dairy milk has grown from just two states and a handful of stores in 2020 to more than 30 states and 1,100 retail outlets. The dairy incentive program has now helped more than 340,000 individuals purchase low-fat (1%) and non-fat milk for their families. Members of Congress introduced legislation that will expand the incentive to cover milk, cheese, and yogurt.
While we know that SNAP incentives work, we are concerned about the lack of acknowledgement that SNAP households’ baskets look essentially the same as non-SNAP households.
Recent Circana data looking at shoppers’ grocery baskets across categories show that SNAP and Non-SNAP households are within 3 percentage points’ difference in terms of composition of their total basket.
Some SNAP shoppers also over-index in many fresh categories. At the same time, USDA data show that 61% of SNAP shoppers cite affordability as the main barrier to eating healthier. As such, we encourage Kennedy and Rollins and Congress to work together to expand SNAP participants’ access to these produce and dairy incentive programs while ensuring rigorous data collection and evaluation measures are in place to assess their impact.
Don’t miss a beat! It’s easy to sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse news! For the latest on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and around the country in agriculture, just click here.
We must also not minimize the role of retailers in improving nutrition outcomes. Nearly 90% of SNAP dollars are redeemed at supermarkets and grocery stores and incentives are complemented and enhanced by resources in the grocery setting.
Food retailers not only support the goal of encouraging shoppers to use SNAP dollars to purchase nutrient-dense foods, but they also employ or host in-store dietitians and nutritionists to elevate nutrition information. For example, a majority of grocery stores offer dietitian-supported services or programs to enhance the SNAP shopper’s ability to economically purchase fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
Elected officials in Washington continue to focus on making SNAP more efficient, less prone to fraud and waste, and an instrument to encourage work, self-sufficiency and healthier eating—something we can all agree is in the public interest. In this climate, SNAP incentives offer a powerful and practical solution.
Rather than simply imposing restrictions, incentives can foster long-term behavioral changes, promote a culture of healthy eating and support the American farmer. And by collaborating with leaders of the MAHA movement, members of Congress, leaders in the Trump administration, and the private sector, we can ensure these programs contribute to a healthier America.
Michael Dykes is president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association. Greg Ferrara is president and CEO of the National Grocers Association. Cathy Burns is president and CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association. Leslie Sarasin is president and CEO of FMI-The Food Industry Association.