This notice announces the annual adjustments to the national average payments, the amount of money the federal government provides states for lunches, afterschool snacks, and breakfasts served to children participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; to the maximum reimbursement rates, the maximum per lunch rate from federal funds that a state can provide a school food authority for lunches served to children participating in the National School Lunch Program; and to the rate of reimbursement for a half-pint of milk served to non-needy children in a school or institution that participates in the Special Milk Program for Children.
The annual payments and rates adjustments for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs reflect changes in the Food Away From Home series of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The annual rate adjustment for the Special Milk Program reflects changes in the Producer Price Index for Fluid Milk Products. Further adjustments are made to these rates to reflect higher costs of providing meals in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The payments and rates are prescribed on an annual basis each July. Overall, reimbursement rates this year for the National School Lunch, Breakfast Programs and the Special Milk Program either remained the same or increased compared to last year.
Special Note:
For the school year beginning July 1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2022, school food authorities operating the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option under Food and Nutrition Service-issued nationwide waivers #85 (Nationwide Waiver to Allow the Seamless Summer Option through School Year 2021-2022) and #86 (Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program Reimbursement Rates in School Year 2021-2022) may receive the reimbursement rates prescribed for the Summer Food Service Program (85 FR 86901) in lieu of the reimbursement rates established in this notice. The Summer Food Service Program reimbursement rates made available to these school food authorities will similarly be updated effective Jan. 1, 2022 through a future notice published in the Federal Register.