Legal: Litigation continues over stores’ SNAP sales data

摘要

A federal district court’s Nov. 30 order thatrnthe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mustrnchange its policy and release store-specific, foodrnstamp sales amounts that are requested underrnthe Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) hasrnbeen put on hold. The USDA wanted to keep therninformation confidential, stating such informationrnis shielded by a FOIA exemption that doesn’trnrequire the release of information that would causerna store competitive harm, an argument rejectedrnby the court on Nov. 30. USDA asserted that arnfood stamp retailer’s competitor could use suchrninformation to its advantage.