State expands SNAP incentive for fruits, vegetables to Baton Rouge, New Orleans
9th February 2026 · 0 Comments
By Julie O’Donoghue
Contributing Writer
(lailluminator.com) – Louisiana has expanded an incentive program to New Orleans and Baton Rouge that encourages the purchase of fresh fruit and vegetables with public food assistance benefits.
The state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program now offers enrollees up to $25 more in benefits every month if they purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from Walmart stores in 13 parishes.
Walmart locations in East Baton Rouge and Orleans parishes were added to the program Wednesday, February 4 joining stores in Ascension, Calcasieu, Jackson, Lafayette, LaSalle, Sabine, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Rapides, Webster and West Carroll parishes.
SNAP recipients can earn 30 cents back in benefits for every dollar they spend on fresh produce in participating Walmart stores for a maximum of $25 each month. The extra $25 then can be used at any store that accepts SNAP benefits, not just Walmart.
The additional funds are automatically added to a person’s SNAP account after a fresh produce purchase is made. The state Department of Health is calling the program the Louisiana Carrot Initiative.
By expanding to Baton Rouge and New Orleans, two of the state’s most populous areas, the health department is greatly increasing access to the program. The agency estimates that 135,000 more SNAP recipients will now be able to take advantage of the new benefits.
Since the program launched last year in April, SNAP recipients have drawn down an additional $884,000 in benefits using the incentive, according to a news release.
This article originally published in the February 9, 2026 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
