Posted on 06/22/2026 5:38:55 PM PDT by Red Badger
A federal judge on Monday shut down the Trump Administration’s pilot program restricting the purchase of soda and junk food with SNAP benefits.
US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee, said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins applied the wrong law in approving a pilot program for states that wanted to restrict junk food purchases.
23 states applied for the pilot program in an effort to limit the purchase of soda, candy and other junk food.
Plaintiffs in five states filed the lawsuit against Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
Judge Berman Jackson’s ruling applies to five states: West Virginia, Tennessee, Colorado, Iowa and Nebraska.
Politico reported:
A federal judge on Monday scrapped a set of state pilot programs intended to restrict the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program money to purchase unhealthy foods.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee, wrote in her decision that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who oversees the SNAP program, misapplied federal law in approving requests from states to allow them to impose limits on what participants can buy with funds from the nation’s largest food aid program. Her ruling applies to Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia.
“With her solicitation and approval of the pilot projects in this case, the Secretary purports to waive not just a mere administrative or technical obstacle, but the very definition of ‘food’ as it was laid down by Congress,” Berman wrote. “Neither the USDA nor the states can force this square peg into a round hole to avoid the plain language of the statute and the requirements of 2026(k),” referencing the part of the statute that addresses projects to help improve SNAP households’ health status.
Jackson’s ruling could jeopardize one of the biggest policy achievements of the Make America Healthy Again agenda. Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have urged states to submit food restriction plans, arguing that they will improve health outcomes and that federal dollars shouldn’t be funding junk food.
Kennedy also incentivized the states to apply by tying some federal rural health care funding to whether states had applied for a waiver to limit foods like soda in SNAP.
In the year 2525.....................
First you need an airplane.
Presented to you by Frito-Lay and Coca-Cola.
And Hostess Twinkies...............
At this point I am done with government trying to save people from themselves. People want to kill themselves with cola and sugar frosted glazed doughnut choco chip marshmallow cinnamon bun flakes let them.
I know, I know, it costs the taxpayer way too much both now and with healthcare costs later. Which of course I am against.
Maybe Congress could amend the statute and update the definition of food.
Do you even have to ask?
does this mean WIC coupons can be used for anything now too? since those are more restricted than SNAP
Kill the program entirely and go back to commodities in cardboard boxes, flour, salt, sugar, butter, cheese, canned meats and vegetables...............
You already know the answer to that
It’s still in effect............
and people wonder why others barter and pay cash for things.
the more off the books the less tax money to these grifters
I would add allowing packages of seeds.
The nutjob judges must be back from vacation ,LOL
Let them eat cake! and chase it down with a nice chocolate shake.
IF only the republicans could get enough of a majority to impeach these corrupt judges.
“requirements of 2026(k)”
(k)Pilot projects to evaluate health and nutrition promotion in the supplemental nutrition assistance program
(1)In general
The Secretary shall carry out, under such terms and conditions as the Secretary considers to be appropriate, pilot projects to develop and test methods—
(A) of using the supplemental nutrition assistance program to improve the dietary and health status of households eligible for or participating in the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and
(B) to reduce overweight, obesity (including childhood obesity), and associated co-morbidities in the United States.
https://codes.findlaw.com/us/title-7-agriculture/7-usc-sect-2026/
“impeach these corrupt judges”
We can’t successfully impeach judges, but a Republican Congress and President can removal their tools of obstruction.
The Congress has Article I, Section 8 power to make rules for the government.
Perhaps a new law:
Federal judges shall not make law, but merely help litigants get the benefit of the text and intended meanings of the provisions of the Constitution when they were placed into it, statutory law and the remnants of common law.
No ruling or decision by a federal district or appellate court judge on a case against a government, a governmental agency or governmental person shall be applicable beyond each entity or private person individually listed within by name or personal particulars by the judge personally.
No federal judge who has or has possessed foreign citizenship may adjudicate an immigration, asylum or removal case.
No district court federal judge shall work on a case who has a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, child, grandchild or known partner of such close relative or a personal partner with any case related interest.
The following district and appellate court judges are hereby barred from hearing cases where the federal government is a party or federal funding is in contention:
....
If judges don’t want to be shaking their fists instead of gavels, they need to behave and know their place.
If judges don’t want to have to wear fools’ caps when working as Congress may require under Article I, Section 8, they need to behave and know their place.
I hope and pray that DJT’s legacy will be “Sorting Out” and “Fixing” the Federal Judiciary!
“I would add allowing packages of seeds.”
Seeds for food plants are generally allowed I believe.
Good list.
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