Key Takeaways:
- Equal Pricing Mandate: The USDA ordered grocery stores to charge the same prices to all customers, forbidding special discounts for SNAP recipients unless a federal waiver is granted.
- Independent Grocers Comply: The National Grocers Association confirmed its 21,000 member stores are following the rules but stressed their ongoing commitment to serving communities fairly and keeping families fed despite the shutdown.
- Funding Battle Continues: The Trump administration used a $4.65 billion contingency fund to cover partial November benefits but rejected calls to use child nutrition funds, calling it “an unacceptable risk.”
NAP, explained that “Section 32 Child Nutrition Program funds are not a contingency fund for SNAP.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sent grocery stores a firm reminder this week: no special discounts for SNAP recipients during the government shutdown. But the real question is, why are these grocers being forced into this position at all? The short answer—because Democrats refuse to end the shutdown.
The email, shared by MSNBC’s Catherine Rampell, said stores “must offer eligible goods at the same prices and on the same terms and conditions” to all customers, regardless of whether they use cash, card, or SNAP benefits. The rule isn’t new, but the situation has drawn renewed attention as grocery bills climb and the Biden-led shutdown drags on.
The National Grocers Association (NGA), representing over 21,000 independent stores across America, confirmed the directive. “Offering discounts or services only to SNAP paying customers is a SNAP violation,” the notice said. The irony? Democrats are crying foul over the rule, even though the USDA is simply enforcing equality—equal treatment at the checkout counter.
An NGA spokesperson reaffirmed that local grocers “remain committed to serving all customers with fairness and integrity.” In other words, they believe in treating every shopper the same—because giving exclusive discounts to one group isn’t compassion, it’s discrimination against everyone else footing the full bill.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to do what it can to keep food on the table. Officials told a federal judge in Rhode Island that $4.65 billion from a contingency fund would cover partial November SNAP benefits, though total costs exceed $9 billion. When pressured to raid the Section 32 Child Nutrition fund, the administration rightly called that “an unacceptable risk.” Patrick Penn, who oversees SNAP, said, “Section 32 Child Nutrition Program funds are not a contingency fund for SNAP.”
The bottom line: independent grocers are doing their best to feed communities while Democrats play politics with Americans’ livelihoods. If they’d stop the shutdown, this wouldn’t even be an issue. Until then, the USDA is right—equality at the register is the fairest deal of all.