The Food Industry Association is supporting federal legislation that would ban processing fees on grocers for purchases made with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The Ensuring Fee-Free Benefit Transactions (EBT) Act (S. 2449) was introduced in the United States Senate by Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Peter Welch (D-VT), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The senate bill is a companion to FMI-endorsed legislation that was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last month by Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH). 

“FMI applauds Sens. Luján and Welch for their leadership in introducing the EBT Act to safeguard SNAP participants’ access to grocers in New Mexico, Vermont and across the country,” said Jennifer Hatcher, chief public policy officer at FMI. “Tacking on processing or other related fees for SNAP purchases would be an unfair burden on retailers and customers alike and could result in higher costs for both shoppers and grocers. Such fees could also lead to some stores being unable to become or remain SNAP-authorized retail locations, negatively impacting the ability of SNAP participants to shop at their preferred supermarket.”