It’s not in the same class as the famous poster of Uncle Sam sternly declaring, “I want you for the U.S. Army.” But the government is asking retailers to volunteer for a two-year, nationwide trial of online grocery sales for food-stamp recipients.
Up to five retailers in three states will be selected for the demonstration project, required by a provision of the 2014 farm bill. The pilot project is scheduled to begin next summer, when software is developed to accommodate Internet sales. “For households to make online purchases, the pilot requires retailer volunteers to provide service that is secure, private, and easy to use,” said USDA which runs the $74 billion-a-year food stamp program. Participating households will have to use their own money, not food stamps, to pay for delivery or service fees.
“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,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The format also would benefit people who are disabled or lack transportation, he said.
USDA recently announced a purchase-and-delivery pilot project, designed for nonprofits and government agencies, to improve access to groceries for elderly and disabled participants in the food stamp program. Some 43.4 million people received food stamps at latest count.