MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers this week urged the Trump administration to rescind a rule set to take effect this fall that the governor says could harm small businesses and families who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for food aid.
The federal rule will require authorized SNAP retailers to increase the number and variety of “staple foods” they stock starting Nov. 4. The change comes amid an ongoing overhaul by President Donald Trump’s administration to the nation’s food assistance program, much of which Evers has pushed against throughout its implementation.
“With Wisconsinites across the state already struggling to afford basic necessities due to thousands of dollars of increased household costs annually due to President Trump’s reckless and chaotic policies, we need to ensure folks have access to affordable, healthy food in every corner of our state,” Evers wrote in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The federal program, administered at the state level and known as FoodShare in Wisconsin, provides low-income families with cash assistance to purchase certain foods at authorized retailers.
Under the new rule, which was finalized in May, stores that accept SNAP benefits will be required to stock seven unique varieties of items (up from three) in each of four categories of staple foods: protein, vegetables and fruits, dairy and grains.
The new rule is an effort to “ensure our nutrition assistance programs emphasize real food first,” Rollins said in a statement announcing the change. The change “demands more from retailers and delivers better options for the families who depend on this program,” U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy said.
Evers pointed to a USDA analysis that projected about 5,000 stores across the country could lose their SNAP authorization under the new rules as a result of being unable to adjust their stock. Under the new rule, retailers that lose their authorization could not reapply for six months.
“While meeting these new standards may not be challenging for established grocery stores or large chains, more than 71 percent of SNAP retailers are small stores, many of which are one of the only food access points in many rural and urban areas,” Evers wrote. “The retailers most at risk are often in rural or Tribal areas without another food store option for miles or in dense urban areas with no alternatives within walking distance.”
According to estimates from the state Department of Health Services, about 32,500 fewer Wisconsinites received FoodShare benefits in July of this year compared to July 2025.
Evers attributed the decline to the July 2025 enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which implemented additional work requirements for participation in FoodShare and Medicaid, shifted costs usually covered by the federal government to states and prompted the state to add funding and additional positions to DHS to ensure it is not penalized under new compliance requirements.
DHS predicted when the bill was passed that as many as 43,700 Wisconsinites could lose access to food assistance under the sweeping tax-and-spending law.
Evers has also sparred with the Trump administration over a federal request for the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, immigration status and benefit history of SNAP recipients in an effort officials say is to root out fraud. Evers declined, citing concerns with data security and the lawfulness of the Trump administration’s demands.
The governor was also at odds with the president last fall when, during a federal government shutdown, the Evers administration moved quickly to load EBT cards for FoodShare recipients during a window of legal opportunity as Trump fought in court to withhold the payments.
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tony Evers says new SNAP rule will harm small retailers, reduce access
Reporting by Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
