The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is looking for a retail grocer volunteer to perform a two-year grocery delivery pilot test as part of its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The pilot program is mandated by the 2014 Farm Bill and is intended to test the viability of allowing SNAP participants to use their retail food benefits via online transactions.
The goal of the SNAP program is to help feed low-income Americans and Americans that have difficulty traveling to a grocery store. The program currently supplements the food budgets of 44 million Americans. SNAP benefits, often referred to as food stamps, can only be used on eligible food purchases.
“Online purchasing shows great promise to improve access to healthy food for SNAP participants living in neighborhoods and rural or tribal areas without grocery stores,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack explained.
While the FDA continues its search for a food retail volunteer for the pilot program, Alphabet Inc GOOGGOOGL’s Google Express has teamed with Costco Wholesale Corporation COST and Whole Foods Market, Inc. WFM to deliver fresh groceries in the greater San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.
Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN’s Amazon Fresh food delivery service recently expanded to 10 different cities. Both Amazon and Google could be among the possible candidates for the SNAP pilot program.
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