A Madison grocery store seeks to reverse its permanent disqualification from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, arguing that it did not engage in alleged benefits trafficking.
I&I Madison Mart, Corp. filed the complaint Aug. 24 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The plaintiff seeks judicial review of the Department of Agriculture’s decision to “permanently disqualify Madison Market form participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.”
According to the complaint, Madison Market operates a grocery store on Madison Avenue in Madison. On Aug. 11, the USDA allegedly issued a final agency decision to permanently disqualify Madison Market from participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
“The purported basis for the Agency Decision was that ‘it is more likely true than not that [SNAP] violations [trafficking in benefits] did, in fact, occur as charged,’” the suit states.
Madison Market argues that it did not commit the alleged benefits trafficking and that the USDA failed to produce evidence proving it did engage in acts of trafficking. Madison Market also alleges the USDA relied upon mistaken facts when reaching its decision.
“The USDA incorrectly found that the disqualification of Madison Market would not have an adverse impact on SNAP beneficiaries in the community,” the suit states.
“The USDA denied Madison Market due process by failing to produce the evidence upon which it relied for the Agency Decision, and because Madison Market was not permitted to respond to the evidence referred to in the Agency Decision,” it continues.
Madison Market seeks an order finding that it did not commit the alleged acts of benefits trafficking, reversing the permanent disqualification from SNAP and for all other relief deemed just.
The plaintiff is represented by Jay Kanzler Jr. of Witzel Kanzler & Dimmitt LLC in St. Louis.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:20-cv-819