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Sanders suggests no snacks with SNAP
Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has stated that individuals receiving supplemental food benefits should not be allowed to use those funds for the purchase of snacks, candy, and desserts.
The governor has urged the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture to implement reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in a recent letter.
Sanders asserted that the $113 billion federal program is “compromising the health of Americans, at the expense of taxpayers, by promoting the consumption of highly processed, unhealthy junk food.”
She noted that “unhealthy snacks, candy, and dessert make up nearly 23 percent, or $25 billion, of total SNAP purchases.”
“Considering the connection between unhealthy food and adverse health outcomes, our national food support policies are contributing to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and various chronic health issues,” Sanders stated.
The governor referenced research conducted by a Stanford University professor, which found that banning sugary beverages and soda from SNAP could avert obesity in 141,000 children and Type 2 diabetes in 240,000 adults.
“A significant portion of our state is affected by diabetes or pre-diabetes.” “Forty percent of our state faces challenges with obesity,” Sanders stated. “Unfortunately, these health issues have a greater impact on families with lower incomes—the very individuals who depend on SNAP for their meals.”
Sanders emphasized that reforming SNAP would not only enhance health but also present a significant chance for Americans to back Arkansas farmers by buying locally sourced poultry, meat, and produce from the Natural State.
The governor wrapped up by urging the secretary-designates of every department to “ban the sale of junk food in SNAP and eliminate taxpayer-funded junk food.”
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