This notice sets forth the interpretation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses for the term “Federal public benefit” as used in Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. In doing so, this notice supersedes any prior interpretation in any notice or other document issued by any USDA agency. This notice also describes and preliminarily identifies the USDA programs that provide “Federal public benefits” within the scope of PRWORA.

This retailer notice serves as a reminder that SNAP retailers that it is a program violation to accept SNAP benefits for foods and drinks containing controlled substances such as cannabis/marijuana.

This SNAP retailer notice emphasizes Secretary Rollins and FNS are committed to fighting fraud, waste, and abuse in all USDA programs. We are equally committed to taking swift action aimed at eliminating fraud occurring in the SNAP retailer community and rooting out bad actors who take advantage of the taxpayer’s generosity.

Review your statewide factsheet for information about SNAP participation, food insecurity, and SNAP's economic impact in your state.

The Food and Nutrition Service seeks to prevent firms authorized to participate in SNAP from delaying administrative actions, such as disqualification or civil money penalties, through submission of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests or appeals. As such, FNS is proposing that FOIA requests and FOIA appeals be processed separately from administrative actions FNS takes against retail food stores. This proposed rule would ensure that retail food stores can no longer use the FOIA process to delay FNS' administrative actions to sanction a retail food store for SNAP violations.