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Resource | Policy Proposed Rule - Updated Staple Food Stocking Standards for Retailers in SNAP

This rule proposes to codify a new framework for determining distinct staple food varieties and accessory foods for purposes of meeting the staple food requirements for retailer participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 

09/25/2025
Resource | Policy Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA); Interpretation of “Federal Public Benefit”

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.

07/10/2025
Resource | Policy Information Collection: SNAP - Reporting of Lottery and Gambling, and Resource Verification

This is a revision of a currently approved collection and existing burden in use in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This information collection captures the burden associated with the requirement that states make ineligible SNAP participants with substantial lottery or gambling winnings and establish cooperative agreements with gaming entities within their states to identify SNAP participants with substantial winnings. Individuals and households are required to report substantial winnings.

06/16/2025
Resource | Policy Comment Request - Assessment of Administrative Costs of Electronic Healthy Incentives Projects

The aim of this study is to calculate the costs of eHIP in three states to determine the startup and ongoing costs of administering incentives to SNAP households through EBT integration and to estimate the cost of administering eHIP at scale.

11/25/2024
Resource | Federal Register Notices Information Collection: Assessment of Administrative Costs of eHIP

This is a new collection for the study “Assessment of Administrative Costs of Electronic Healthy Incentives Projects (eHIP).” This study will calculate costs incurred by eHIP, which will provide incentives through EBT integration to increase purchase of healthy foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables) by SNAP participants.

04/04/2024
Resource | Final Rule Taking Administrative Actions Pending Freedom of Information Act Processing

This final rule amends the SNAP regulations to ensure that retail food stores can no longer use the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process to delay FNS' administrative actions to sanction a retail food store for SNAP violations. Under this rule, FNS will process FOIA requests and FOIA appeals separately from the administrative action for all SNAP violations, as originally proposed. The processing of FOIA requests and appeals during the administrative and judicial review process will have no impact on when the agency can take administrative action.

08/25/2020
Resource | Policy Memos Retailer Eligibility - Prepared Foods and Heated Foods

This memorandum defines heated foods, hot foods, and cold prepared foods in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) retailer eligibility determinations. Only staple food products are counted toward a firm’s eligibility to participate in SNAP. Heated foods, hot foods, and cold prepared foods are not considered staple foods, and are not counted when determining if a firm meets Criterion A or Criterion B to be eligible to participate in SNAP as an authorized retail food store.

07/29/2020
Resource | Policy Memos Retailer Eligibility - Social Security Number (SSN)

SNAP regulations provide that the FNS must collect certain taxpayer identification numbers of retailers who apply to participate in SNAP. Acceptable taxpayer identification numbers include both a Social Security Number and any Employer Identification Number assigned to the firm by the Internal Revenue Service.

07/13/2020
Resource | Policy Memos Retailer Eligibility - Application of 6 Month Waiting Period

This memorandum clarifies the use of the 6 month waiting period for failing to meet SNAP eligibility requirements under Criterion A or B of program regulations. Section 9(c) of the Food and Nutrition Act and section 278.1(k) of program regulations require firms failing to meet eligibility requirements under Criterion A or B wait a minimum of 6 months before reapplying for SNAP authorization.

07/13/2020
Page updated: October 14, 2021