Thousands of residents who rely on the Wisconsin program FoodShare may find fewer places to shop for groceries this fall. A new federal rule including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) changes could limit food access in communities across the state. Governor Tony Evers is sending a letter urging the Trump administration reverse the rule which goes into effect in November.
Evers writes in the letter sent to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that the changes would reduce access to healthy food for Wisconsin families while also hurting small businesses that depend on customers using SNAP benefits. He also notes the impact would be especially significant in rural Wisconsin. It’s where many communities are already considered food deserts and grocery options are limited.
“With Wisconsinites across the state already struggling to afford basic necessities due to thousands of dollars of increased household costs annually… we need to ensure folks have access to affordable, healthy food in every corner of our state,” Evers writes.
The rule is expected to make an estimated 5,000 retailers nationwide ineligible to accept SNAP benefits. Evers said losing those participating stores would not only make it more difficult for FoodShare recipients to purchase groceries, but would also eliminate an important source of revenue for many local businesses.
The governor is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to rescind the rule. And he wants the USDA to work with Congress to reverse broader SNAP changes. Most were enacted as part of the 2025 federal budget package known as the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
According to Evers, close to 24,000 Wisconsinites have already lost SNAP benefits since that legislation was enacted.
“The latest rule change would further increase food insecurity while making it harder for families to access nutritious food and for neighborhood grocery stores, particularly those serving rural communities, to remain economically viable,” Evers includes in the letter.
You can read the entire letter written by Governor Evers here.
