U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that households in 13 new states – Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia – will soon be able to purchase food online with their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Once operational, online purchasing will be available in 36 states and the District of Columbia, home to more than 90 percent of SNAP participants.
Additionally, Perdue also reported an expansion of independently owned and operated retail stores beyond those included in the original pilot with more SNAP authorized retailers (under multiple store banners) soon accepting SNAP benefits online.
“We are expanding new flexibilities and innovative programs to make sure Americans across this country have safe and nutritious food during this national emergency,” said Perdue. “Enabling people to purchase foods online will go a long way in helping Americans follow CDC social distancing guidelines and help slow the spread of the coronavirus. USDA is mandated with the noble goal of feeding Americans when they need it most, and we are fulfilling that mission with new innovative programs during this national emergency.”
In April 2019, the USDA launched what was to be a two-year pilot program meant to test both online ordering and payment with rollout starting in New York State. Other states were soon added to the pilot. Due to the unprecedented impact that COVID-19 had on households, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has expedited the process and has worked closely with all interested states, retailers, and benefit processors to make online purchasing a reality for more SNAP households.
Currently, the SNAP online purchasing pilot is operational in 18 states and the District of Columbia, with additional states going live each week. For the latest list of states and retailers accepting online SNAP purchases, please refer to the FNS online purchasing website.
SNAP is a federal program that provides food purchasing assistance to low-income individuals and families that are used at stores to purchase food. The program, which was formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is administered by the FNS through its nationwide network of FNS field offices. Local FNS field offices are responsible for the licensing and monitoring of retail food stores participating in SNAP.