The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is designed to improve the health of people with low-income who are at least 60 years of age, by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods.
CSFP is administered at the federal level by FNS, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through CSFP, USDA distributes both food and administrative funds to participating state agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), which work to provide CSFP food packages to eligible participants.
CSFP food packages are supplemental and do not provide a complete diet. Rather, the food packages are good sources of the nutrients typically lacking in the diets of the beneficiary population.
CSFP operates in parts of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and by the following seven ITOs: Oglala Sioux (SD), Seminole Nation (OK), Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians (CA), Spirit Lake Tribe (ND), Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MS), Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (OK), and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (NE).
The program is authorized under Sections 4(a) and 5 of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973. Federal regulations covering CSFP can be found at 7 CFR Parts 247 and 250.
Program Operation
State agencies and ITOs administer CSFP. These agencies are typically departments of health, social services, education, or agriculture, among others. State agencies store USDA Foods and distribute them to public and nonprofit private local agencies.
Local agencies determine the eligibility of applicants, distribute the foods, and provide nutrition education. Local agencies also provide referrals to other nutrition, healthcare, and social service programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare.
Food packages include a variety of foods, such as milk, cheese, juice, farina, oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, peanut butter, dry beans, canned meat, poultry, or fish, and canned fruits and vegetables. For a full list of foods available for CSFP, visit the USDA Foods Available List for CSFP.
Funding
For FY 2024, Congress appropriated $389 million for CSFP. Annual appropriations may be supplemented by unspent funds carried over from the previous fiscal year, if available.
Participation
A total of 731,933 caseload slots were allocated for the 2024 CSFP caseload cycle, nationally. In other words, CSFP state agencies were able to serve up to 731,993 individuals each month with 2024 resources. For more information, visit the interactive FNS Program Participation Dashboard.
Eligibility
Each state agency and ITO sets income limits for participants which must be at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. State agencies and ITOs may establish local residency requirements based on designated service areas (but may not require a minimum period of residency). State agencies and ITOs may also require that participants be at nutritional risk, as determined by a physician or local agency staff.
CSFP participants may be eligible for other FNS programs, including:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
- The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
Program Contacts
Contact your CSFP state agency or ITO for more information about the program. You may also email us at: USDAFoods@usda.gov.