JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The door chime at Johnson’s Meat & Seafood Market on Cleveland Road is still a new sound for a neighborhood where residents say grocery options can be limited.
Owner Rodney Johnson opened the store in December 2025, betting that a market focused on everyday essentials — produce, meats and seafood — could fill a gap in an area some describe as a food desert.
“My father opened up a convenience store here in 1985 next door,” Johnson told News4JAX. “They’re familiar with us and we’re familiar with them.”
Johnson said he wanted the store to offer more than just quick snacks, and to make healthier choices easier to reach for people who don’t want to drive across town.
But for Johnson, the shelves are only part of the equation. The other part is whether customers can pay — and in this neighborhood, he said that often means SNAP and EBT.
“What that looks like here is probably about 50% of our revenue,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the approval process to accept EBT took months, but once it was in place, the store saw immediate support.
That local reality is now tied to a national legal fight. Across the country, several states sought permission to restrict what SNAP benefits could buy, targeting items like candy, soda and other sugary drinks.
The effort was encouraged by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. under the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, with supporters arguing the restrictions could improve public health by nudging consumers toward better choices.
Critics, including some SNAP recipients and advocates, argued the restrictions were confusing and could stigmatize families, especially when a purchase is declined at checkout.
This week, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington ruled the federal government cannot block SNAP benefits from being used to buy candy and sugary drinks.
In her opinion, Jackson said the problem wasn’t whether the restrictions were a good idea, but whether they followed the law. She pointed to Congress’ definition of “food” under SNAP, which allows benefits for “any food or food product for home consumption,” with exceptions such as alcohol, tobacco and hot prepared foods meant to be eaten immediately.
For retailers, Johnson said keeping up with changes comes down to guidance and technology. He said stores typically receive updates through the state, and his point-of-sale system can be adjusted to flag items that are not eligible.
“The state normally sends that information out and we read it and then it’ll be applied,” he said. “So even if we scan it and make a mistake, our system won’t allow you to purchase an ineligible product, it will flag it.”
As the case moves forward, Johnson said his focus remains on serving the neighborhood.
“We’re doing our best to take care of this community the very best we can,” he said.