The Food Industry Association and the National Grocers Association shared their support for the Senate’s Ensuring Fee-Free Benefit Transactions Act that would prohibit processing fees for SNAP recipients. The processing fees would have extended to users of the electronic benefits cards given to program enrollees.
The NGA shared that grocers invest in software, equipment, and training to offer SNAP benefits, and implementing processing fees would financially challenge community and family-owned grocers serving areas with large populations of SNAP recipients.
“This step is crucial in avoiding potential restrictions on SNAP access for beneficiaries and mitigating adverse effects on the indispensable retailers who contribute to the program’s success,” said Greg Ferrara, president and CEO at NGA, in a statement.
The FMI also noted that the processing fees would unfairly burden retailers and customers who are already financially insecure, adding that some stores could have been compelled to stop accepting SNAP purchases.
“Maintaining the integrity of the SNAP program is vitally important to assure millions of Americans are able to access the foods they need to keep their families fed,” said FMI in a statement. “The EBT Act will ensure that processing or other related fees outside of our control will never be imposed on food retailers or their customers in the SNAP program. We look forward to working with Sens. [Ben Ray] Luján and [Peter] Welch to secure passage of the EBT Act to protect the viability of the SNAP program for retailers and their customers in every community.”
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