Thousands of US convenience stores could stop accepting food stamps unless the US Department of Agriculture delays enforcement of a rule requiring those stores to stock more fresh produce and protein, according to a letter sent this week from nearly 250 stores to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The USDA in May issued a final rule that requires retailers accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also called food stamps, to meet the expanded stocking standards by November 4.
The industry has not received adequate guidance from the USDA on how to meet the new compliance standards, according to the letter sent on August 31 by the stores and their trade associations, the National Association of Convenience Stores, National Association of Truck Stop Owners and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers.
A USDA spokesperson said the agency “appreciates hearing from these trade associations and stands by to aid their member companies as they work to stock 28 varieties of staple food items.”
The USDA rule requires retailers to offer at least seven varieties in each of four staple food categories to accept SNAP benefits: Dairy, vegetables or fruits, grains and protein.
Retailers that do not meet the new requirements will be withdrawn from participating in SNAP.
More than 117,000 convenience stores participate in SNAP, the largest share of any store format and nearly half of all SNAP-authorised stores, according to the letter.
Retailers want the USDA to delay enforcement for six months after further guidance is issued, to give them time to source compliant products, negotiate with distributors and restock shelves.
Convenience stores say they play a critical role in food access for people with unusual schedules or who live in areas without grocery stores.
The letter was signed by outposts of major chains, including 7-Eleven, Wawa, Sheetz and RaceTrac, along with smaller operators.
- Reporting by Leah Douglas in Washington; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Jamie Freed, of Reuters.
