The USDA issued a call last month to food companies, asking them to apply for an upcoming pilot program to make food stamps available for online grocery purchases.
The program responds to a letter from Senator Cory Booker and Representatives Tim Ryan and Barbara Lee, urging Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to accelerate efforts to digitize food benefits.
In June, Thrive Market launched a petition to the USDA that has gathered 310,000 signatures. Brands including Clif, Soylent, and meal kit delivery service Blue Apron have also joined the petition.
The USDA seeks to partner with up to 5 companies in at least 3 states in order to launch a pilot program that will be evaluated and potentially expanded after 2 years.
