USDA toughens rules on SNAP retailers

The Department of Agriculture doesn't mind if you eat potato chips, but pump the brakes on calling your crispy indulgence a vegetable.Potato chips play a big role in new USDA standards for retailers that sell to the 46 million Americans who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Under the final rule, USDA is increasing the amount of foods required to be a SNAP retailer, how many of those foods need to be perishable, and, USDA's Kevin Concannon hopes, making it easier for SNAP recipients to have access to healthy foods.  “I think these are modest, implementable standards,” Concannon, who serves as USDA's under secretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services, told reporters Thursday afternoon. “I don't anticipate any measurable reduction in the number of stores across the country. We were very careful in listening so that we balanced the need to make forward progress with the need to preserve access.”