Summary
This notice invites the public to comment on the state of Arkansas’ demonstration project authorized under section 17(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 7 USC 2026(b). The Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) will take appropriate action as necessary in response to comments.
Request for Comments
Written comments must be received on or before Oct. 15, 2026.
Although not required by statute, interested parties are invited to submit written comments regarding the state of Arkansas’ demonstration project. FNA is particularly interested in comments regarding the state’s implementation and operation of the demonstration project. Further information related to the implementation of the demonstration project is included on the FNA website and the state’s website .
Comments on this notice may be submitted to FNA by one of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal Website: Go to Regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
All written comments submitted in response to this notice will be included in the record and will be made available to the public. Please be advised that the substance of the comments and the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be subject to public disclosure. FNA will make the written comments publicly available on the Internet via Regulations.gov.
For further information contact: Shiela Corley, Acting FNA Administrator, at SM.FN.RPMDHQ-WEB@usda.gov with subject line of ‘‘AR SNAP Demonstration Project’’.
Supplementary Information
Section 17(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 7 USC 2026(b), authorizes FNA to approve demonstration projects to test changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that may increase programmatic efficiency and improve the delivery of SNAP benefits to raise levels of nutrition among eligible households. This demonstration project is implemented by the state, and FNA will carefully review the results of the project based on the state’s evaluation data. All relevant documents, including the state’s demonstration project request, can be found in the supporting document section. Additionally, to support implementation and ensure transparency, FNA created a central webpage on May 21, 2025, to post state agencies’ project requests and approvals and provide exact implementation timelines.
Discussion of the Demonstration Project
State of Arkansas Demonstration Project Request
The state of Arkansas requested to conduct a demonstration project to amend the SNAP definition of food for purchase to exclude “soda, low and no-calorie soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, other unhealthy drinks, and candy”. The state formally requested to conduct this project on April 15, 2025. On May 5, 2026, the state requested to modify the initial project request to clarify “allowable and unallowable items under the pilot”. The state requested to implement the project on July 1, 2026. The state’s project request and the subsequent modification request can be found in the supporting document section and on the FNA website on the following page: Arkansas SNAP Food Restriction Waiver.
USDA Approval of Initial Demonstration Project Request
FNA approved the state’s initial demonstration project request on June 10, 2025. The approval can be found in the supporting document section and on the following page: Arkansas SNAP Food Restriction Waiver.