• August 22, 2011

Administrators of the federal food stamp program have rejected New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's proposal to bar the city's food stamp users from buying soda and other sugary drinks with the stamps, reports The New York Times.

Bloomberg had proposed a two-year test to see if the move would reduce obesity among food stamp users, but the program's administrators sent the mayor a letter saying such an experiment would be too costly to implement and evaluate.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack stated that the department supports "incentive-based solutions that are better-suited" for food stamp users, and continues to "stand ready" to work with NYC to solve obesity and promote good new nutrition and health."