Mayor Mamdani secures 90-day delay of USDA SNAP rule for bodegas, small retailers
The rule, originally scheduled to take effect on Nov. 4, has been delayed for 90 days, giving bodegas and other small retailers across the country additional time to comply.
More Stories
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Friday that the Trump administration has agreed to delay enforcement of a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rule requiring SNAP-authorized retailers to meet expanded stocking standards.
The rule, originally scheduled to take effect on Nov. 4, has been delayed for 90 days, giving bodegas and other small retailers across the country additional time to comply.
Under the new requirements, SNAP-authorized retailers must offer at least seven varieties of food in each of four categories: dairy, grains, proteins, and fruits and vegetables. The USDA did not issue implementation guidance until Sept. 4, leaving many small businesses with only two months to prepare for the changes.
More than 100 bodega owners have contacted the city with concerns about the rule and its impact on their businesses, according to sources.
"When hundreds of bodegas came to our administration asking for help, we stood with them. These neighborhood businesses are the backbone of our small business economy and an essential source of affordable food for more than one million New Yorkers - and 36 million Americans - who rely on SNAP," Mamdani said.
According to the mayor's office, SNAP purchases account for an estimated 15% to 20% of sales at a typical New York City bodega, with some Bronx store owners reporting that the program generates as much as 30% of their revenue.
"I am grateful that President [Donald] Trump has agreed to delay beginning enforcement of this rule, and we will continue fighting to protect our neighborhood businesses and the New Yorkers who depend on them," Mamdani said.
Friday's announcement comes one week after Mamdani called on the USDA to postpone enforcement of the rule, arguing that business owners needed more time to understand the requirements, secure qualifying products and make the investments necessary to comply.
