WASHINGTON – In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requested feedback on certain proposed changes to their retail application form for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In response to their request, NACS filed official comments earlier this week.
In its comment letter, NACS acknowledges that the agency needs to update its application forms and instruction manuals to reflect recent changes in the SNAP retailer eligibility requirements. However, NACS raised concerns with several questions USDA proposes, which relate to sensitive financial information and business practices. For example, one of the proposed questions requests that retailers provide the name and address of their financial institution where SNAP deposits are made.
NACS argues that this store-specific financial information is unnecessary and could subject retailers to potential harm if the information is hacked or made available under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The risk that this data could be released to the public is particularly relevant given the ongoing FOIA litigation. NACS also raised concerns with proposed questions about store business practices, namely whether stores offer incentives or discounts to SNAP recipients. This information, if disclosed, could potentially place stores at a competitive disadvantage in an industry that is highly competitive.
While the SNAP application forms need to be updated to reflect changes to the program, making it overly burdensome for retailers to fill out and putting certain business information at risk does not help the program. In its letter, NACS stated: “If the purpose of SNAP is alleviating hunger and ensuring low-income Americans have access to food, the agency should be focusing its energy on acquiring information strictly related to whether a retailer meets the requirements to participate in the program. It should not be making it harder for retailers to apply to participate by making the application process any more difficult or time-consuming than it needs to be.”
Please stay tuned to NACS Daily for more information on SNAP.