The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned grocery stores across the country to avoid providing discounts to SNAP recipients who will not be receiving their full benefits this month, claiming it would be a violation of the rules governing the program.
Democrats were quick to respond on Monday to the USDA’s guidance, calling it a “cruel” tactic to preserve Republicans’ political leverage at the expense of those needing food assistance.
“This is about as sick and cruel as it gets,” Sen. Patty Murray posted on X.
“This policy is in place to stop grocery stores from OVERCHARGING people using SNAP,” the post continued. “The Trump administration, while it illegally withholds SNAP benefits, is telling grocers they can’t offer discounts to people on SNAP.”
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Specifically, the department’s email directs stores to comply with the “SNAP Equal Treatment Rule,” which prohibits SNAP recipients from being discriminated against — or incentivized — through targeted sales or other benefits. If companies are found in violation of the rule, they could lose the ability to accept SNAP funds altogether.
“You cannot treat SNAP-EBT customers differently than any other customer,” the USDA email, which was first reported on X by MSNBC’s Catherine Rampell, said. “Offering discounts or services only to SNAP paying customers is a SNAP violation unless you have a SNAP Equal Treatment Waiver.”
As of Monday, a handful of businesses and organizations took action to comply with the USDA order — including the Farm Alliance of Baltimore, which, according to Civil Eats, ended its planned promotion to offer SNAP participants 50% off produce at a Saturday farm stand.
Instacart, a mobile-food-delivery company, reported that it had received a special “Equal Treatment Waiver” from the USDA and intends to continue its offer of 50% off delivery orders for customers who use SNAP benefits.
On X, Rep. Dan Goldman, a New York Democrat, criticized the USDA’s directive, saying that the “Trump Administration’s cruelty knows no bounds.”
“First, they refuse to distribute SNAP funds that have ALREADY been appropriated,” Goldman continued. “Now they are telling starving SNAP families that they cannot get help from grocery stores.”
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, posted on X that the “cruelty is unfathomable.”
“Not only was the administration illegally withholding SNAP funding that families need to keep food on the table, they’re also going after local grocery stores who are trying to help keep their neighbors fed,” Cleaver wrote.
Trump announced on Monday that his administration would partially fund SNAP through the month of November. The program ran out of funding on Saturday, and even with Trump’s commitment of partial November funding, a top USDA official said on Monday that there could be a weeks to monthslong lapses for the funds to reach states.
The USDA did not respond to NOTUS’ request for comment.
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