RICHMOND, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- More than 740,000 Virginians will be able to pay for groceries online and have them delivered now that Virginia has been added to a pilot program.

Governor Ralph Northam announced on Friday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved Virginia to join the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Online Purchasing Pilot Program.

“This continued public health emergency has made access to healthy, affordable food challenging, particularly for Virginians who live in food deserts, have disabilities, or face transportation barriers,” he said. “Allowing Virginia families who receive SNAP benefits to purchase groceries online and have them safely delivered to their homes will give vulnerable populations additional flexibility to put food on the table without putting themselves at unnecessary risk.”

According to a release, the program will launch in Virginia on May 29, with online shopping access available through the Amazon and Walmart online platforms.

Retailers that want to participate in the program will need to apply by contacting the USDA.

The release says transactions will take place using SNAP customers’ secure Personal Identification Numbers, and the benefits cannot be used to pay for fees of any type, including delivery, service or convenience fees.

“With so many Americans already opting to stay safe at home by ordering their groceries online, it’s only right that we make every effort to ensure our most vulnerable families are also able to take advantage of these services,” said U.S. Senator Mark Warner. “After having pushed USDA to approve Virginia’s participation in the SNAP online purchasing pilot program, I’m glad to know that many more families in the Commonwealth will soon be able to access nutritious food without requiring them to leave their homes.”

“I am grateful that following our request, the USDA has approved Virginia’s inclusion in the SNAP online purchasing pilot program,” added U.S. Senator Tim Kaine. “Especially at this time of great food insecurity, it’s critical that Virginians have the resources they need to safely access food.”

The release says the pilot program was mandated by the 2014 Farm Bill and was designed to test the feasibility of allowing USDA-approved retailers to accept online transactions.

The Virginia Department of Social Services administers SNAP benefits in Virginia. For more information, click here.