Arkansas submitted a waiver to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) this month requesting, among other things, that hot rotisserie chicken be included in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
This marks the first time hot rotisserie chicken is eligible for SNAP purchases in any state. The announcement can be found here.
The announcement also requested that soft drinks and candy be banned from being purchased in the program.
“Governor Sanders is confronting childhood disease head on, and it starts with what families consume,” Secretary Rollins said of Arkansas’ announcement. “Today’s waiver announcement is a welcome one, and I look forward to moving through the approval process swiftly. I encourage more states across the nation to follow the bold lead of states like Arkansas as we Make America Healthy Again.”
“Helping Arkansans improve their health is a top priority for our agency across all programs, and encouraging people to use their SNAP benefits for healthier foods is an important step that we believe will be truly beneficial to the people we serve. This reform will put more nutritious options on the tables of more than 100,000 households across Arkansas who receive SNAP benefits every month. We are eager to implement these changes, and appreciate Gov. Sanders’ leadership and USDA Secretary Rollins’ support as we work to better the health of our entire state,” Arkansas’ Department of Human Services Secretary Kristi Putnam said.
