USDA approves Wisconsin to accept SNAP benefits online

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Monday, May 11 announced approval of a request from Wisconsin to provide online purchasing of food to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households.

According to a news release from the USDA, this approval will allow Wisconsin to expedite the implementation of online purchasing with currently authorized SNAP online retailers with a target start date to be announced at a later time.

Wisconsin’s SNAP participation is more than 572,000 individuals, nearly 291,000 households and totals $778 million annually in federal benefits, the release noted.

"This announcement further demonstrates President Trump’s whole of America approach to fighting the coronavirus pandemic by ensuring those affected are fed," USDA officials said in the release.
SNAP online purchasing is currently operational in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, New York, Oregon and Washington State.

The authorized retailers working with all states are Amazon and Walmart, while Wrights Market and ShopRite are working with Alabama and New York respectively.

USDA previously announced the District of Columbia, West Virginia, Missouri, Texas, Vermont, Minnesota, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Rhode Island would also be implementing online purchasing in the near future. With these states, more than half of all households receiving SNAP will have access to online purchasing.