Hunter
03/02/25
Separate bills being advanced by the Iowa House this session propose to appropriate money to a program that matches dollars provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Program, or SNAP.
The Gazette reports the program would benefit recipients that purchase more fruits and vegetables. However, it would drastically reduce the number of food items available through the SNAP program.
The Iowa Senate Health and Human Services Committee advanced their bill in early February. It would appropriate $1 million in funds to the state’s “Double Up Food Bucks” program for the first time, after previously being funded solely by private contributions . A similar House bill advanced out of subcommittee last week, but would depend on whether an exemption to currently eligible SNAP foods is approved by the US Department of Agriculture.
The bill would limit SNAP recipients to using funds only for the following items: real eggs, real meat, real dairy, bread, grains, all fruits and vegetables, all cereals and hot cereals, granola, peanut butter, nuts, pasta, rice, legumes and any item on the most current Iowa Women Infants and Children program eligibility list.
A manager with Iowa’s Save the Children Action Network testified that the exemption would take away flexibility from families with picky children or medical or religious dietary restrictions. For example, the bill would allow families to purchase pasta, but not pasta sauce.
Luke Elzinga, a policy and advocacy manager for the Des Moines Area Religious Council, said SNAP food eligibility restrictions could impact how many stores would qualify as SNAP retailers. According to the USDA store eligibility stocking requirements, a store must have a minimum of 36 staple food items that meet certain conditions. Elzinga said the waiver could broaden rural food deserts by making smaller retailers like gas stations and dollar stores lose their eligibility.