The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced sweeping changes to its SNAP program, affecting millions, including those in New York City.
Agency officials will now require more “real food” from its retailers, as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act enacted last year has started to reshape how benefits are funded and who qualifies.
What Changes Are Happening to the SNAP Program?
This week, the agency announced that retailers must meet stricter requirements in order to keep accepting SNAP benefits.
According to the USDA, stores must now have seven varieties of items across four categories: protein, grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables.
“This change more than doubles the requirement of available foods, emphasizes more whole foods, increases the perishable food requirements, and eliminates loopholes that for too long have allowed retailers to count certain snack foods toward their staple food requirements,” a May 7 release said of the change.
“These changes will not only ensure vulnerable families in need have more nutritious options wherever they shop but demand more accountability from retailers who not only have stocked the bare minimum, but have seen the most program violations.”
How Many Americans Receive SNAP Benefits?
As of March 2026, there were more than 1.7 million NYC residents on SNAP, according to city data.
Last year, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed, which plans to cut SNAP funding approximately $187 billion over the next 10 years — or 20% — according to Harvard Kennedy School’s faculty research.
Under the act, changes were made to work requirements, who qualifies and what food can be purchased through the program.
Approximately 3 million New Yorkers in the state were on the SNAP program in August 2025, according to a release by the governor’s office at the time.
In the release, it was estimated that more than 300,000 households in the state could lose some or all of their benefits amid the changes, particularly because of the work requirements. Approximately 41,000 noncitizens in New York state were also estimated to lose their food benefits because of the new restrictions.
The state was also facing more than $900 million in lost SNAP benefits, the governor’s office said last summer.
Reporting by Amethyst Martinez, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY via Reuters Connect.
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