This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
Gov. Mark Gordon and Wyoming Department of Family Services Director Korin Schmidt traveled to Washington, D.C. on March 4 to join the signing of a waiver that prevents SNAP benefits from being used to purchase soda and candy.
Starting next February, Wyomingites won’t be able to use SNAP benefits to buy sweetened carbonated beverages.
According to a press release from Gordon’s office, the waiver defines "sweetened, carbonated beverages” as “any nonalcoholic beverage that is made with carbonated water and is flavored and sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners.” The definition doesn’t include beverages that contain milk products, soy, rice or other milk substitutes, or that’s at least half vegetable or fruit juice by volume.
Candy will get phased out a year later in February 2028, with a definition to be provided by the state’s Department of Family Services (DFS) by next April.
“This waiver is about supporting healthier communities in Wyoming and is a reasonable, commonsense step that aligns the program with its original purpose,” wrote Gordon in the press release. “Wyoming is leading in a way that is thoughtful, measured, and focused on better outcomes for families.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, which is used by roughly 28,000 Wyomingites every month and administered by the state. The agency also has the authority to approve waivers submitted by states, which can restrict which foods can be purchased with SNAP benefits.
SNAP restrictions are part of the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. States including Colorado, Utah and Idaho have all gotten similar waivers approved in the last year.
"This is an effort to promote and support healthy and nutritional choices for SNAP recipients,” said Wyoming DFS Director Korin Schmidt in the press release. “Our stakeholders have been open and honest about what they need to make this successful, and we will continue to work together as we implement the waiver."
Wyoming submitted its waiver request to the USDA back in January. A bill in this year’s budget session proposed taking the restrictions a step further by banning “accessory foods” like coffee, tea, sugar and spices, but it ultimately failed in the House with a 37 to 25 vote.
Some Wyoming lawmakers have raised concerns about how SNAP waivers could impact people living in the most rural parts of the state. Rep. Pam Thayer (R-Rawlins) asked DFS Director Schmidt about that potential impact at a Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee during the interim last fall.
“Could there be potential health impacts on communities that have less access to healthy food options?” said Thayer. “We are very rural, not everybody has a grocery store.”
Schmidt replied that the agency would be watching that access issue closely.
According to Food Research & Action Center President Crystal FitzSimons, the push for more SNAP restrictions “undermines the program’s core mission of reducing hunger and supporting health and food dignity” and “diverts staff time and resources away from critical tasks like reducing error rates and ensuring access.”
