Wright’s Market Operator Defends SNAP Program Before Congress

Jimmy Wright, a single-store operator of Opelika, Ala.-based Wright’s Market, testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee to defend the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot program on behalf of the National Grocers Association (NGA). The program is expected to help the supermarket offer a full variety of fresh meat and produce in communities that typically lack access due to supply chain issues.

In the hearing titled “Nutrition Programs: Perspectives for the 2018 Farm Bill,” Wright promoted the program’s benefits to both retailers and consumers. The pilot program was mandated in the 2014 Farm Bill to test the feasibility and implications of allowing food retailers to accept SNAP benefits through online transactions.

“For small businesses – like Wright’s Market – to successfully innovate in food retail, we need the government to keep up the pace with our ambitions,” Wright said during the hearing. “When USDA transitioned from paper vouchers to EBT cards, our SNAP customers benefited and our store achieved new efficiencies. Implementing this pilot will be an important step in the right direction much like the EBT transition.”

"When the pilot is officially launched, I am excited for the prospect of using our online program to address the issue of food access and food insecurity in the rural areas of East Alabama," he outlined in his written testimony. "My plan is to use online technology to afford rural customers the ability to order online and have full access to our store’s entire inventory of over 12,000 items, including a full variety of fresh meat and produce.”

In addition to outlining the importance of kicking off the pilot program, Wright highlighted the need for lawmakers to create a more streamlined and efficient SNAP license application program for existing retailers in good standing, while also giving extra attention to stores opening in food deserts.

Wright also urged members of the committee to reject any proposal that would add new regulatory burdens on retailers that accept SNAP, such as restricting what foods participants can purchase with their benefit.

“The added regulatory burden and costs – coupled with the inevitable stigma our SNAP customers would face – would dramatically increase retailers' cost of accepting SNAP,” said Wright. “Instead, Congress should focus on supporting programs that educate participants on how to make healthier choices and provide incentives to purchase fruits and vegetables, which have been very successful thus far.”

“SNAP plays an important role in providing a safety net to those in need, including families with children, the elderly, and the disabled,” said Peter J. Larkin, president and CEO of NGA. “America’s independent supermarket operators have long partnered with USDA, Congress, and industry partners to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the program.”