Nashville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) – A federal judge has temporarily blocked Tennessee’s plan to restrict what Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients can purchase, just weeks before the changes were set to take effect.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by SNAP participants challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s approval of pilot programs in multiple states. Those programs aimed to limit purchases of items such as soda, candy and other sugary foods.
Tennessee was among 18 states approved by the USDA to implement the restrictions, with a start date scheduled for July 31, 2026. More than 600,000 people in Tennessee rely on SNAP benefits.
In the ruling, the judge determined the USDA relied on the wrong section of federal law when approving the pilot programs. The court said the authority used does not apply to projects focused on improving health or nutrition outcomes.
As a result, the judge vacated the USDA’s approval and sent the matter back to the agency for further review.
The decision temporarily halts Tennessee’s planned restrictions, along with similar efforts in other participating states, as the case moves forward.
