USDA makes 1,000 arrests in SNAP abuse, will require retailers who accept SNAP to stock more nutritious foods
FILE - Sign at supermarket entrance with text reading We Welcome EBT customers and a SNAP logo in Lafayette, California, November 13, 2025. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is cracking down on abuse of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), making over 1,000 arrests in a sweeping crackdown. The USDA is also implementing changes which will require retailers who accept SNAP to stock a broader variety of nutritious food.
Dig deeper:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is ramping up efforts to crack down on food stamp fraud nationwide, targeting what officials say is a loophole allowing some wealthy individuals to qualify for government benefits.
Secretary Brooke Rollins posted on X that a single state has 14,000 individuals on SNAP benefits who also drive luxury vehicles like Ferraris, Bentleys and Lamborghinis.
She warned fraudsters the USDA is working to close a loophole under the Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility policy used to qualify for SNAP benefits despite having the financial means to purchase cars for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
RELATED: More SNAP recipients face work requirements: What to know
What they're saying:
SNAP, the largest federal anti-hunger program in the United States, has long been a target of conservatives pushing for reforms. Rollins spoke to "The Ingraham Angle" to shed light on just how widespread some of the issues are.
"We've found 500,000 people getting more than one benefit illegally. We found 244,000 dead people. This is just the red states," Rollins said about what she's discovered going through the data from the states that have agreed to provide it since her first day on the job.
"We have arrested 895 different people in the last year for illegally using the food stamp system and, of course, now we're talking about what is happening with that money."
RELATED: SNAP: See the overpayment and underpayment rates for benefits in every state
USDA data shows 4.2 million fewer food stamp recipients during President Trump’s first year in office as the administration continues to crack down amid reports from all across the country that food stamps are being misused.
USDA to require SNAP authorized retailers to stock more real food
More changes are being implemented to SNAP, which will require retailers who accept SNAP to stock a broader variety of nutritious food.
What we know:
The USDA says starting this fall, the new rules will require authorized SNAP retailers to carry seven varieties of items across four categories of staple foods: protein, grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables.
The USDA says the new rule more than doubles the requirement of available foods and emphasizes more whole foods. It also increases perishable food requirements and eliminates retailers from counting certain snack foods toward their staple food requirements.
What they're saying:
"To turn the tide on our nation’s health crisis, we need to ensure our nutrition assistance programs emphasize real food first, and that’s exactly what these updates to SNAP retailer requirements will do," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins in a release. "SNAP authorized retailers accept over $90 billion a year, or $236 million a day, in taxpayer dollars—USDA is making sure they’re actually in the business of selling food. And for those retailers who are the only food outpost for miles, I know you will be so excited to serve your customers and communities healthy food."
"This rule puts real food back at the center of SNAP. It demands more from retailers and delivers better options for the families who depend on this program," said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in a release. "This is how we Make America Healthy Again."
Dig deeper:
The USDA says since 2024, nearly 3,200 retailers have been removed from the program for failing to comply with and maintain current stocking standards.
The new SNAP retail updates go into effect Fall 2026, and the USDA will be issuing additional guidance to retailers in the coming weeks.
The Source: Information in this article was sourced from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and includes reporting from FOX Business and previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Orlando.