New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Friday that he had personally secured a delay in new federal food-stamp rules affecting neighborhood bodegas, saying the reprieve came through direct negotiations with the Trump administration. Under the delay, stores have at least 90 days before enforcement begins, though Mamdani had sought a six-month postponement in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins last week. City Hall said the agreement was reached through talks with President Donald Trump, and Mamdani said the delay would apply nationwide.

The rules require SNAP-authorized retailers to stock seven varieties each of dairy, grains, proteins and produce, up from the current three. Enforcement had been set to begin Nov. 4. Mamdani said he sought the extension after owners of 100 of the city's more than 10,000 bodegas raised concerns with City Hall about their ability to comply. In his statement, he warned that without more time, many of these stores risked losing the ability to accept SNAP, threatening their livelihoods and making it harder for families to buy food.S1S2

The U.S. Department of Agriculture rule change carries out a congressional mandate first passed in a 2014 farm bill, which was blocked in federal spending bills until May of this year. According to the USDA, its primary goal is to improve nutritional variety in food deserts. Mamdani said he will continue fighting to protect neighborhood businesses and the New Yorkers who depend on them.S1