General Information

In July 1982, Congress authorized a capped block grant program in Puerto Rico, called the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP). Previously, Puerto Rico ran the traditional Food Stamp Program. The Puerto Rico NAP block grant is authorized under Section 19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended. NAP is separate from SNAP.

Funding Structure and Participation Levels

Puerto Rico’s block grant pays for 100% of benefits to eligible participants and 50% of administrative costs, with Puerto Rico covering the remaining administrative expenses. The current block grant for fiscal year 2023 is $2,815,630,000. The NAP program must set eligibility and benefit levels to stay within the fixed block grant amount. As a result, an increase in NAP participation may result in the decrease of NAP benefits. On average, NAP serves nearly over 1.4 million participants monthly. 

In recent years, Congress has authorized additional funding in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and COVID-19.

Program Administration and Operations

Puerto Rico’s Administration for Socioeconomic Development of Family, administers the program. ADSEF is an agency under the umbrella of Puerto Rico’s Department of Family Affairs. We provide oversight for NAP, similar to its role providing oversight for states’ and territories’ administration of SNAP. Puerto Rico designs its own set of program rules for its NAP. We approve these rules through an annual Plan of Operation.

Program-specific Components

NAP eligibility criteria are similar to SNAP; however, there are several financial and non-financial differences. For example, in NAP, the maximum income limit and benefit levels are lower and there is no gross income test. The block grant also allows Puerto Rico to design a program tailored to their unique cultural, social, and economic circumstances. For example, Puerto Rico operates a Family Markets Program. NAP participants can receive an additional 4% in benefits to purchase local food products from nearby Family Markets. In addition, Puerto Rico’s elderly population receive 20% more in their monthly benefit level.

NAP benefits are provided through an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card. NAP and SNAP benefits are not interoperable, meaning it is not possible for a Puerto Rico EBT card to be used outside of Puerto Rico.

Summary

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for state administrative expense funds expended in the operation of the child nutrition programs administered under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.

Request for Comments

Written comments must be received on or before Nov. 10, 2025.

Comments may be sent to Penny Burke, Chief, Operational Support Branch, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to Penny.Burke@usda.gov. Comments will also be accepted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to Regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically. All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval and will become a matter of public record.

Abstract

Section 7 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (PL 89-642), 42 USC 1776, authorizes the Department to provide federal funds to state agencies (SAs) for administering the Child Nutrition Programs (7 CFR parts 210, 215, 220, 226 and 250). State Administrative Expense (SAE) Funds, 7 CFR part 235, sets forth procedures and recordkeeping requirements for use by SAs in reporting and maintaining records of their need and use of SAE funds. A summary of the reporting and recordkeeping burden associated with this revision is presented in the table below.

The FNS-525 State Administrative Expense Funds Reallocation Report is used by the state agencies to report information related to the SAE funds. 7 CFR 235.5(d) states that “Annually, between March 1 and May 1 on a date specified by FNS, of each year, each state agency shall submit to FNS a State Administrative Expense Funds Reallocation Report (FNS-525) on the use of SAE funds.” This report will be used to reallocate SAE funds.

The FNS-777 Financial Status Report was formerly associated with this collection. However, due to revisions made to FNS-525 for the 2022 renewal, completion of FNS-525 now provides all of the required information and it is no longer necessary to obtain information from the FNS-777. Therefore, the recordkeeping requirement and burden associated with FNS-777 is being removed from the collection. FNS-777 and its associated burden is approved under OMB Control Number 0584-0594 Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS) (expiration date Sept. 30, 2026) and is therefore not included in this collection. Removing this recordkeeping requirement will reduce 216 responses and 54 burden hours from the recordkeeping burden, due to a program change, resulting in a new overall burden of 3,075 responses and 6,252 hours for this collection.

Washington, Sept. 9, 2025 – The Make America Healthy Again Commission today released the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, a sweeping plan with more than 120 initiatives to reverse the failed policies that fueled America’s childhood chronic disease epidemic. The strategy outlines targeted executive actions to advance gold-standard science, realign incentives, increase public awareness, and strengthen private-sector collaboration.

Chaired by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Commission is tasked with investigating and addressing the root causes of America’s escalating health crisis, with a focus on childhood chronic diseases.

“The Trump Administration is mobilizing every part of government to confront the childhood chronic disease epidemic,” Secretary Kennedy said. “This strategy represents the most sweeping reform agenda in modern history—realigning our food and health systems, driving education, and unleashing science to protect America’s children and families. We are ending the corporate capture of public health, restoring transparency, and putting gold-standard science—not special interests—at the center of every decision.”

“Today’s MAHA Commission report is another historic milestone for our country and a testament to President Trump’s leadership and commitment to Make America Healthy Again,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “America’s farmers and ranchers are at the heart of the solution — alongside doctors, parents, and communities - to fight chronic disease and protect future generations. Under this Administration, we are not just talking about healthy outcomes; we are delivering them by securing voluntary commitments to remove artificial food dye from major brands, providing technical assistance to states interested in restricting junk food and soda from SNAP, and providing growers with new tools to maintain and improve soil health, including the introduction of a regenerative farming practice pilot program. Together with our partners at HHS and EPA, we are charting a new course, strengthening the health of our families, and ensuring the United States leads the world with the safest, strongest, and most abundant food supply.”

Key Focus Areas of the Strategy

Restoring Science & Research: Expanding NIH and agency research into chronic disease prevention, nutrition and metabolic health, food quality, environmental exposures, autism, gut microbiome, precision agriculture, rural and tribal health, vaccine injury, and mental health.

Historic Executive Actions: Reforming dietary guidelines; defining ultra-processed foods; improving food labeling; closing the GRAS loophole; raising infant formula standards; removing harmful chemicals from the food supply; increasing oversight and enforcement of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising laws; improving food served in schools, hospitals, and to veterans; and reforming Medicaid quality metrics to measure health outcomes.

Process Reform & Deregulation: Streamlining organic certification; easing barriers to farm-to-school programs and direct-to-consumer sales; restoring whole milk in schools; supporting mobile grocery and processing units; modernizing FDA drug and device approval; and accelerating EPA approvals for innovative agricultural products.

Public Awareness & Education: Launching school-based nutrition and fitness campaigns, Surgeon General initiatives on screen time, prioritizing pediatric mental health, and expanding access to reliable nutrition and health information for parents.

Private Sector Collaboration: Promoting awareness of healthier meals at restaurants, soil health and land stewardship, and community-led initiatives, and scaling innovative solutions to address root causes of chronic disease.

With this strategy, the MAHA Commission leads the most ambitious national effort ever to confront childhood chronic disease and Make America Healthy Again.

“Protecting human health and the environment while powering America's comeback isn’t just about serving Americans today; it’s about ensuring future generations inherit clean air, land, water, and the foundation for healthy lives,” EPA Administrator Zeldin said. “The Make America Healthy Again strategy outlines the keys to success from pro-growth policies that advance research and drive innovation to private sector collaboration and increased public awareness. I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively across the federal family to ensure our kids and our environment are protected.”

“For too long health care has used a reactive approach to chronic diseases,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said. “I am pleased to support the findings of the MAHA commission and to promote a more proactive approach, tackling root causes undermining the health and happiness of American children.”

“The MAHA Report provides a blueprint for the entire government to focus on solving the chronic disease crisis facing American children,” NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said. “We must make America healthy again so our children live longer and healthier lives than we will.”

Today’s MAHA Commission press event included: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., DPC Director Vince Haley, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill, NEC Director Kevin Hassett, CEA Vice Chair Pierre Yared, and OSTP Director Michael Kratsios.

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Summary

This notice announces the national average value of donated foods or, where applicable, cash in lieu of donated foods, to be provided in school year 2026 (July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026) for each lunch served by schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and for each lunch and supper served by institutions participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

Dates

Effective date: July 1, 2025.

Supplementary Information

These programs are located in the Assistance Listings under Nos. 10.555 and 10.558 and are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with state and local officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V, and final rule related notice published at 48 FR 29114, June 24, 1983). This notice imposes no new reporting or recordkeeping provisions that are subject to Office of Management and Budget review in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 USC 3507). This action is not a rule as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 USC 601-612) and thus is exempt from the provisions of that Act. This notice was reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 12866. Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 USC 801 et seq.), the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this rule as not a major rule, as defined by 5 USC 804(2).

National Average Minimum Value of Donated Foods for the Period July 1, 2025, Through June 30, 2026

This notice implements mandatory provisions of sections 6(c) and 17(h)(1)(B) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (the Act) (42 USC 1755(c) and 1766(h)(1)(B)). Section 6(c)(1)(A) of the Act establishes the national average value of donated food assistance to be given to states for each lunch served in the NSLP at 11.00 cents per meal. Pursuant to section 6(c)(1)(B), this amount is subject to annual adjustments on July 1 of each year to reflect changes in a three-month average value of the Producer Price Index for Foods Used in Schools and Institutions for March, April, and May each year (Price Index). Section 17(h)(1)(B) of the Act provides that the same value of donated foods (or cash in lieu of donated foods) for school lunches shall also be established for lunches and suppers served in the CACFP. Notice is hereby given that the national average minimum value of donated foods, or cash in lieu thereof, per lunch under the NSLP (7 CFR part 210) and per lunch and supper under the CACFP (7 CFR part 226) shall be 30.50 cents for the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

The Price Index is computed using five major food components in the Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index (cereal and bakery products; meats, poultry, and fish; dairy; processed fruits and vegetables; and fats and oils). Each component is weighted using the relative weight as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The value of food assistance is adjusted each July 1 by the annual percentage change in a three-month average value of the Price Index for March, April, and May each year. The three-month average of the Price Index increased by 1.51% from 263.66 for March, April, and May of 2024 as previously published in the Federal Register, to 267.65 for the same three months in 2025. When computed on the basis of unrounded data and rounded to the nearest one-quarter cent, the resulting national average for the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, will be 30.50 cents per meal. This is an increase of one-half (1/2) cents from the school year 2025 (July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025) rate.

Authority: Sections 6(c)(1)(A) and (B), 6(e)(1), and 17(h)(1)(B) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USC 1755(c)(1)(A) and (B) and (e)(1), and 1766(h)(1)(B)).

Summary

Due to a technical problem with the docket that prevented comments from being accepted during part of the initial comment period, we are reopening the comment period for the interim final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on June 6, 2025. The rule rescinds an unnecessary reporting requirement for the school meals application verification process.

Request for Comments

The comment period for the rule published June 6, 2025, at 90 FR 24049, is reopened. Comments must be received on or before Sept. 8, 2025.

Comments can be submitted through the Federal e-rulemaking portal at https://www.regulations.gov and should reference the document number and the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register . We strongly prefer comments to be submitted electronically. However, written comments may be submitted (i.e., postmarked) via mail to Docket No. FNS-2025-0008, FNS, USDA, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314. All comments submitted in response to this notice will be included in the record and will be made available to the public.

Please be advised that the identity of individuals or entities submitting comments will be made public on the internet at the address provided above. Parties who wish to comment anonymously may do so by entering “N/A” in the fields that would identify the commenter. A plain language summary of this notice of interim final rule is available at https://www.regulations.gov in the docket for this rulemaking.

Supplementary Information

On June 6, 2025, at 90 FR 24049, FNS published in the Federal Register an interim final rule entitled “National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Elimination of the State Ameliorative Action Reporting Requirement for School Meals Eligibility Verification.”

The interim final rule provided for a 30-day comment period, which would have ended July 7, 2025. However, on or about July 1, we learned that the public comments were not being accepted to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov.

We informed staff at the Federal eRulemaking Portal and the issue has been resolved. Nevertheless, given the uncertainty regarding the time that the portal was not operational, we have determined that a thirty-day reopening of the comment period, to Sept. 8, 2025, is appropriate. This reopening will allow interested persons who may have tried unsuccessfully to submit comments additional time to do so.

Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, at Faith and Fellowship Tuesday at the Great American Farmers Market, alongside Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, and USDA Senior Advisor on Faith and Community Outreach Dr. Alveda King, issued a statement reaffirming the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) steadfast commitment to protecting and upholding religious liberties in all public engagements and federally administered programs.

“Religious freedom is America’s first protected liberty. USDA, founded on the promise to serve Americans equally, will vigorously defend the rights of individuals and organizations to express their faith in accordance with the Constitution of the United States,” said Secretary Rollins. “President Trump made it clear religious liberty is not just a personal right; it’s a national priority. By Executive Order, the President established the Religious Liberty Commission to ensure faith-based expression is protected across our Nation. At USDA, we recognize the Constitution protects religious liberties beyond private beliefs and ensures Americans are free to live out their faith in the public square and their workplaces, and when participating in USDA programs, without fear of retaliation or discrimination.”

The updated USDA guidance (PDF, 1.8 MB) reaffirms long-standing constitutional protections and aligns with recent Supreme Court decisions that clarify the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty consistent with President Trump’s directive to enforce the original constitutional meaning of religious liberty. The statement outlines the Department’s responsibility to safeguard religious expression for individuals, employees, and faith-based organizations who participate in USDA programs.

Key provisions include:

• Employee Religious Expression: Employees and supervisors in private workplaces are permitted to engage in religious expression, including discussing religious views and displaying religious materials.
• Faith-Based Organizations: Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) may participate in USDA programs, such as nutrition assistance, employment training, and food distribution, on equal footing with secular organizations. USDA may not require FBOs to alter their religious identity, messaging, or practices as a condition of participation.
• No Discrimination or Coercion: USDA is prohibited from coercing individuals or organizations to adopt specific beliefs or to prevent their participation in federally funded programs based on religious identity.

The guidance issued today supersedes any prior non-legally binding USDA guidance to the contrary and ensures consistent implementation of religious liberty protections across all mission areas in their engagements with the public.

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Summary

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 Virgin Islands. The payments and rates are prescribed on an annual basis each July.

Dates

These rates are in effect from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

Supplementary Information

Background

Special Milk Program for Children—Pursuant to section 3 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended (42 USC 1772), the Department announces 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. This rate is adjusted annually to reflect changes in the Producer Price Index for Fluid Milk Products, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor.

National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs—Pursuant to sections 11 and 17A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, (42 USC 1759a and 1766a), and section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 USC 1773), the Department annually announces the adjustments to the National Average Payment Factors and to the maximum federal reimbursement rates for lunches and afterschool snacks served to children participating in the National School Lunch Program and breakfasts served to children participating in the School Breakfast Program. Adjustments are prescribed each July 1, based on changes in the Food Away From Home series of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor.

Lunch Payment Levels—Section 4 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USC 1753) provides general cash for food assistance payments to states to assist schools in purchasing food. The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act provides two different section 4 payment levels for lunches served under the National School Lunch Program. The lower payment level applies to lunches served by school food authorities in which less than 60 percent of the lunches served in the school lunch program during the second preceding school year were served free or at a reduced price. The higher payment level applies to lunches served by school food authorities in which 60 percent or more of the lunches served during the second preceding school year were served free or at a reduced price.

To supplement these section 4 payments, section 11 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USC 1759 (a)) provides special cash assistance payments to aid schools in providing free and reduced-price lunches. The section 11 National Average Payment Factor for each reduced-price lunch served is set at 40 cents less than the factor for each free lunch.

As authorized under sections 8 and 11 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USC 1757 and 1759a), maximum reimbursement rates for each type of lunch are prescribed by the Department in this Notice. These maximum rates are to ensure equitable disbursement of Federal funds to school food authorities.

Performance-based Reimbursement—In addition to the funding mentioned above, school food authorities certified as meeting the meal pattern and nutrition standard requirements set forth in 7 CFR parts 210 and 220 are eligible to receive performance-based cash assistance for each reimbursable lunch served (an additional nine cents per lunch available beginning July 1, 2024, and adjusted annually thereafter).

Afterschool Snack Payments in Afterschool Care Programs—Section 17A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USC 1766a) establishes National Average Payments for free, reduced price and paid afterschool snacks as part of the National School Lunch Program.

Breakfast Payment Factors—Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 USC 1773) establishes National Average Payment Factors for free, reduced price, and paid breakfasts served under the School Breakfast Program and additional payments for free and reduced-price breakfasts served in schools determined to be in “severe need” because they serve a high percentage of free and reduced eligible children.

Adjusted Payments

The following specific section 4, section 11, and section 17A National Average Payment Factors and maximum reimbursement rates for lunch, the afterschool snack rates, and the breakfast rates are in effect from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Due to a higher cost of living, the average payments and maximum reimbursements for Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands are higher than those for all other States. The District of Columbia uses figures specified for the contiguous states. These rates do not include the value of USDA Foods or cash-in-lieu of USDA Foods which schools receive as additional assistance for each meal served to participants under the program. A notice announcing the value of USDA Foods and cash-in-lieu of USDA Foods is published separately in the Federal Register.

Adjustments to the national average payment rates for all lunches served under the National School Lunch Program, breakfasts served under the School Breakfast Program, and afterschool snacks served under the National School Lunch Program are rounded down to the nearest whole cent.

Special Milk Program Payments

For the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the rate of reimbursement for a half pint of milk served to a non-needy child in a school or institution that participates in the Special Milk Program is 26.75 cents. This change is based on the 0.67 percent decrease in the Producer Price Index for Fluid Milk Products from May 2024 to May 2025.

As a reminder, schools or institutions with pricing programs that elect to serve milk free to eligible children continue to receive the average cost of a half pint of milk (the total cost of all milk purchased during the claim period divided by the total number of purchased half pints) for each half pint served to an eligible child.

National School Lunch Program Payments

Overall, payments for the National School Lunch Program and the Afterschool Snack Program increased due to a 3.85 percent increase in the national average payment rates for schools and residential child care institutions for the period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026 in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the Food Away From Home series during the 12-month period May 2024 to May 2025 (from a level of 367.099 in May 2024, as previously published in the Federal Register to 381.228 in May 2025).

These changes are reflected below.

Section 4 National Average Payment Factors—In school food authorities that served less than 60 percent free and reduced-price lunches in school year (SY) 2023-2024, the payments for meals served are: Contiguous states—paid rate—44 cents (2 cents increase from the 2024-2025 rate), free and reduced price rate—44 cents (2 cents increase), maximum rate—52 cents (2 cents increase); Alaska—paid rate—71 cents (2 cents increase), free and reduced price rate—71 cents (2 cents increase), maximum rate—83 cents (4 cents increase); Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands—paid rate—57 cents (2 cents increase), free and reduced price rate—57 cents (2 cents increase), maximum rate—67 cents (3 cents increase).

In school food authorities that served 60 percent or more free and reduced price lunches in school year 2023-2024, payments are: Contiguous states—paid rate—46 cents (2 cents increase), free and reduced price rate—46 cents (2 cents increase), maximum rate—52 cents (2 cents increase); Alaska—paid rate—73 cents (2 cents increase), free and reduced price rate—73 cents (2 cents increase), maximum rate—83 cents (4 cents increase); Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands—paid rate—59 cents (2 cents increase), free and reduced price rate—59 cents (2 cents increase), maximum rate—67 cents (3 cents increase).

School food authorities certified to receive the performance-based cash assistance will receive an additional 9 cents (adjusted annually) added to the above amounts as part of their section 4 payments.

Section 11 National Average Payment Factors—Contiguous states—free lunch—4 dollars and 16 cent (15 cents increase from the SY 2024-2025 rate), reduced price lunch—3 dollars and 76 cents (15 cents increase); Alaska—free lunch—6 dollars and 74 cents (25 cents increase), reduced price lunch—6 dollars and 34 cents (25 cents increase); Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands—free lunch—5 dollars and 41 cent (20 cents increase), reduced price lunch—5 dollars and 1 cent (20 cents increase).

Afterschool Snacks in Afterschool Care Programs—The payments are: Contiguous states—free snack—1 dollar and 26 cents (5 cents increase from the SY 2024-2025), reduced price snack—63 cents (3 cents increase), paid snack—11 cents (no change); Alaska—free snack-2 dollar and 4 cents (7 cent increase), reduced price snack—1 dollar and 2 cents (4 cents increase), paid snack—18 cents (no change); Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands —free snack—1 dollar and 64 cents (6 cents increase), reduced price snack—82 cents (3 cents increase), paid snack—15 cents (1 cent increase).

School Breakfast Program Payments

Overall, payments for the National School Breakfast Program increased due to a 3.85 percent increase in the national average payment rates for schools and residential child care institutions for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers in the Food Away from Home series during the 12-month period May 2024 to May 2025 (from a level of 367.099 in May 2024, as previously published in the Federal Register to 381.228 in May 2025).

These changes are reflected below.

For schools “not in severe need” the payments are: Contiguous states—free breakfast—2 dollars and 46 cents (9 cents increase from the SY 2024-2025 rate), reduced price breakfast—2 dollars and 16 cents (9 cents increase), paid breakfast—40 cents (1 cent increase); Alaska—free breakfast—3 dollars and 95 cents (15 cents increase), reduced price breakfast—3 dollars and 65 cents (15 cents increase), paid breakfast—62 cents (2 cents increase); Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands—free breakfast—3 dollars and 18 cents (12 cents increase), reduced price breakfast—2 dollars and 88 cents (12 cents increase), paid breakfast—51 cents (2 cents increase).

For schools in “severe need” the payments are: Contiguous states—free breakfast—2 dollars and 94 cents (10 cents increase from the SY 2024-2025), reduced price breakfast—2 dollars and 64 cents (10 cents increase), paid breakfast—40 cents (1 cent increase); Alaska—free breakfast—4 dollars and 73 cents (17 cents increase), reduced price breakfast—4 dollars and 43 cents (17 cents increase), paid breakfast—62 cents (2 cents increase); Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands—free breakfast—3 dollars and 81 cents (14 cents increase), reduced price breakfast—3 dollars and 51 cents (14 cents increase), paid breakfast—51 cents (2 cents increase).

Payment Chart

The payment chart illustrates the lunch National Average Payment Factors with the sections 4 and 11 already combined to indicate the per lunch amount; the maximum lunch reimbursement rates; the reimbursement rates for afterschool snacks served in afterschool care programs; the breakfast National Average Payment Factors including severe need schools; and the milk reimbursement rate. All amounts are expressed in dollars or fractions thereof. The payment factors and reimbursement rates used for the District of Columbia are those specified for the contiguous states.

Purpose

This memorandum provides revised guidance for school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the school meal programs¹ regarding fees charged when families use electronic payment services to add money to school meal accounts. It also reminds SFAs that they must offer a free and accessible method for all families to add money to school meal accounts. In line with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins’ priorities, this refreshed guidance reduces administrative burden and clarifies statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements.

This memorandum rescinds, effective immediately, SP 04-2025 Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School Meal Programs, issued on Nov. 1, 2024, and supersedes SP 02-2015: Online Fees in the School Meal Programs, issued on Oct. 8, 2014.

Background

Many SFAs provide electronic payment options for families to add money to student school meal accounts. Companies providing these electronic payment options generally charge fees to the SFA or the user for processing the payments.

FNS Instruction 782-6, Fees for Lunchroom Services, explains the Food and Nutrition Service’s (FNS) longstanding policy that students participating in school meal programs may not be charged additional fees beyond the basic meal charge for services provided in conjunction with the delivery of these programs. Since publication of FNS Instruction 782-6 in 2010, electronic payment options have become increasingly popular. FNS is committed to ensuring the policy for electronic fees maintains access to healthy school meals while reducing burden for SFAs.

Requirements for Fees for Electronic Payment Services

Families that choose to use electronic payment services may be charged a fee, but only if SFAs also offer a free and accessible method for all families to add money to student meal accounts. SFAs must notify families of available payment options and any associated fees in ways that are easy to find and understand.

Additionally, SFAs must provide a method of making deposits to student meal accounts to meet the needs of families who do not have access to a computer, do not have a bank account, or prefer to make their payment by other means. Common methods of meeting these requirements include accepting cash or checks at school or by mail.

Best Practices and Strategies

SFAs can increase awareness of payment options, including free payment methods, by including information in:

• The meal charge policy provided to all families at the start of each school year and to families transferring to the school during the school year.²
• All communications regarding meal payment options, including the school district’s website, emails, and menus.
• Notices sent to families when a student’s meal account balance is low.
• The website used for the fee-based electronic payment service.

When providing information about school meals, SFAs should include a phone number for a designated person to call for information about free methods to add money to a student’s meal account.

While no longer required, it is still a best practice to not charge additional fees for electronic payment options or to work with service providers to limit fees. If fees are charged, SFAs are encouraged to use electronic payment systems that allow bank account/ACH transfers, as these fees are typically lower than fees for credit card transactions. SFAs also may use funds from the general fund, donations from outside organizations, or funds from the nonprofit school food service account to cover the cost of fees for electronic payments for school meals.

State agencies are reminded to distribute this information to program operators immediately. Program operators should direct any questions regarding this memorandum to the appropriate state agency. State agencies should direct questions to the appropriate FNS regional office.

Tina Namian
Deputy Associate Administrator
Child Nutrition Programs

¹For the purposes of this memorandum, school meal programs include the School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, and National School Lunch Program, including Afterschool Snacks.
²Please see SP 23-2017, Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&A, question 5, for additional information and suggested methods of communication.

Summary

This notice sets forth the interpretation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses for the term “Federal public benefit” as used in Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), PL 104–193, 8 USC 1611. In doing so, this notice supersedes any prior interpretation in any notice or other document issued by any USDA agency. This notice also describes and preliminarily identifies the USDA programs that provide “federal public benefits” within the scope of PRWORA.

Supplementary Information

Purpose

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide clarification to state agencies and school food authorities (SFAs) operating the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) on reimbursement for meals consumed or served off site. This clarification supports the guiding principles regarding nutrition programs identified by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, which include commitments to clarify statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements and to infuse each nutrition program with new energy and vision. This memorandum supersedes FNS Instruction 786-8 REV. 1, Reimbursement for Off-Site Meal Consumption.

Background

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA), (42 USC 1753(b)(1)(A)), and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (CNA), (42 USC 1773(b)(1)(A)) require that meals reimbursed under the programs are to be served in school or school-related premises. FNS Instruction 786-8 REV. 1, Reimbursement for Off-Site Meal Consumption stated that meals served or consumed off site could only be reimbursed if children were participating in school functions that are part of the curriculum, as defined by the state education agency, and could not be reimbursed if children were off site for extracurricular events.

Providing Meals to be Consumed Off-Site

Children who attend an NSLP/SBP participating school but leave for part of the day to participate in school functions or extracurricular activities may be provided meals to be consumed off site. This could include, but is not limited to, off-site functions such as field trips, dual credit classes at a local college, work study, extracurricular activities, or release time religious education programs.

Schools have the option to provide meals for children who will be off site during the breakfast or lunch period, since SFAs are only required to make meals available to students who are present during the meal service period. SFAs may only provide meals if the off-site function occurs during typical meal times (7 CFR 210.10(l)(1), 7 CFR 220.8(l)(1)). For example, a SFA may not provide meals to students who are off site at the end of the school day if that falls outside of the typical lunch period. Additionally, SFAs may not provide meals to all students to be taken off site due to early dismissal since there will be no meal service that day. Instead, this clarification applies only to individual students or groups of students who would normally be on site for the regularly scheduled meal service but are participating in an off-site school function or extracurricular activity and will return back to school. Meals taken off site must meet the meal pattern requirements and should be subject to especially stringent sanitary and precautionary measures to avoid contamination and spoilage.

Serving Meals to Children in Work-Study Programs

If children attend a work-study program at a non-participating or ineligible school or site, meals provided by the work-study program to the children are not eligible for federal reimbursement. However, as explained above, these students may be provided with reimbursable meals from their home-base school to take with them to the work-study program.
In the event that children attend another NSLP/SBP participating school for work-study, either the home-base or work-study school may serve the children and claim the meals, but the schools should coordinate to ensure that the student receives only one breakfast and one lunch per day. For example, if the student’s home-base school provides the student lunch to take to the work-study site, the student should not receive another lunch at the work-study site. Students applying for free or reduced price meals should do so through their home-base school since that school would be more familiar with their individual circumstances. If the work-study school is serving and claiming the meals, it should obtain, for its records, a copy of the eligibility determination (i.e., free and reduced price meal application or direct certification documentation) for students. In all cases, care must be taken to ensure that accurate detailed records are maintained, including meal counts for free, reduced price, and paid categories.

State agencies are reminded to distribute this information to program operators immediately. Program operators should direct any questions regarding this memorandum to the appropriate state agency. State agencies should direct questions to the appropriate FNS regional office.

Tina Namian
Deputy Associate Administrator
Child Nutrition Programs

Summary

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other interested parties to comment on a proposed information collection. This collection is an extension of a currently approved collection. This information collection will conduct research in support of FNS' goal of delivering science-based nutrition education to targeted audiences. This information collection will also conduct research that will assist FNS in identifying effective design and implementation approaches to use to develop and assess grants. From development through testing of materials and tools with the target audience, FNS plans to conduct data collections that involve formative research including focus groups, interviews (dyad, triad, telephone, etc.), surveys and Web-based collection tools.

Request for Comments

Written comments must be received on or before July 28, 2025.

Comments may be sent to the Planning and Regulatory Affairs Office, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be sent via fns-prao@usda.gov.

Comments will also be accepted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically. All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All comments will be a matter of public record.

Abstract

This information collection is based on section 19 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 USC 1787), section 5 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USC 1754) and section 11(f) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 USC 2020). This request for approval of information collection is necessary to obtain input into the development of nutrition education interventions for population groups served by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS). FNS also uses this collection to obtain input that can be used to develop and assess grants. Interventions need to be designed so that they can be delivered through different types of media and in a variety of formats for diverse audiences.

FNS develops a variety of resources to support nutrition education and promotion activities. These resources are designed to convey science-based, behavior-focused nutrition messages about healthy eating and physical activity to children and adults eligible to participate in FNS nutrition assistance programs and to motivate them to consume more healthful foods as defined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). This includes education materials, messages, promotion tools and interventions for the diverse population served by the federal nutrition programs as well as WIC, Team Nutrition, Food Distribution and other programs.

Obtaining formative input and feedback is fundamental to FNS' success in delivering science-based nutrition messages and reaching diverse segments of the population in ways that are meaningful and relevant. This includes conferring with the target audience, individuals who serve the target audience, and key stakeholders on the communication strategies and interventions that will be developed and on the delivery approaches that will be used to reach consumers. The formative research and testing activities described will help in the development of effective education and promotion tools and communication strategies. Collection of this information will increase FNS' ability to formulate nutrition education interventions that resonate with the intended target population, particularly low-income families.

FNS also uses formative input and feedback to determine how best to develop and assess grants so that grant recipients can successfully meet their goals under these grants. To do this, FNS confers with grant recipients to obtain input regarding their experiences, expectations, challenges, and lessons learned while implementing the grant.

Formative research methods and information collection will include focus groups, interviews (dyad, triad, telephone, etc.), surveys and web-based data collection. The data obtained will provide input regarding the potential use of materials and products during both the developmental and testing stages, in addition to the development of grants. Key informant interviews will be conducted in order to determine future nutrition education and grant needs, tools and dissemination strategies. This task involves collecting a diverse array of information from a variety of groups including: people familiar with the target audiences; individuals delivering nutrition education intervention materials and projects; program providers at state and local levels; program participants; grant recipients, and other relevant informants associated with FNS programs.

Findings from all data collection will be included in summary reports submitted to USDA-FNS. The reports will describe the data collection methods, findings, conclusions, implications, and recommendations for the development and effective dissemination of nutrition education materials and related tools for FNS population groups. There will be no specific quantitative analysis of data. No attempt will be made to generalize the findings to be nationally representative or statistically valid. There are no recordkeeping or third party disclosure burden requirements.

The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Program (CNP), including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), Special Milk Program for Children (SMP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), of the many ways they can purchase local foods to serve in program meals. Sourcing and serving locally grown foods, and other farm to school activities, such as taste testing, gardening, and agriculture education, can infuse new energy and vision into CNP operations, support community health, create new opportunities for American farmers, invest federal dollars in local economies, and strengthen strategies to encourage healthy choices.

Background

The USDA, as directed by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, encourages CNP operators to purchase unprocessed agricultural products, both locally grown and locally raised, to the maximum extent practicable and appropriate. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) supports CNP operators in reaching this goal through a variety of purchasing strategies, including the use of federal funds received through meal reimbursements (i.e., cash reimbursement) to purchase local foods directly from farmers or indirectly from food hubs, local food distributors, and other local food sources.

General Program Reminder

CNP operators must use full and open competition in alignment with Federal Procurement Regulations at 2 CFR 200.319 when purchasing goods, including local foods, for program meals and snacks. CNP operators may use any allowable procurement method to purchase local food. However, before determining the appropriate procurement method or writing solicitations, CNP operators should conduct market research to determine the ability of local producers and other local food vendors to provide desired products, price points, quantities, distribution, and other requirements unique to the food service operation and whether an adequate supply of local foods exists in the marketplace.

Strategies for purchasing local foods with cash reimbursement include:

Using the Geographic Preference Option - CNP operators may voluntarily apply a geographic preference when procuring unprocessed locally grown or locally raised agricultural products (i.e., agricultural products that retain their inherent character) through a small purchase or formal procurement.

Geographic preference includes two strategies:

1. Use local as a specification (i.e., the written description of a product or service that a vendor must meet to be considered responsive to a solicitation) for local unprocessed agricultural products; and
2. Use a defined scoring advantage (i.e., additional credit or points given to local unprocessed agricultural products during the evaluation of responses to a solicitation) for local unprocessed agricultural products.

CNP operators may adopt either strategy, a mix of both strategies, or elect not to use either approach. The CNP operator must define local for their solicitation. When applying a defined scoring advantage, CNP operators also define the amount of preference or credit awarded to unprocessed agricultural products. For detailed information on using the geographic preference option, please see SP22-2-24, CACFP 08-2024, SFSP 13-2024 Geographic Preference Expansion Related to the Final Rule and SP24-2024, CACFP 10-2024, SFSP 14-2024 Geographic Preference option Questions and Answers.

Targeting Local Food through Purchasing Methods - CNP operators may use the micro-purchase and small purchase methods to target local food by contacting only local producers or vendors offering local foods. CNP operators using these methods must know that the product is locally available, the planned purchase or purchases are under the micro-purchase or informal purchase threshold, and producers or other vendors of local foods can offer these products while meeting all other solicitation requirements.

Targeting Local through Product Specifications and Technical Requirements - CNP operators may target local foods through technical requirements sometimes associated with locally grown, raised, or caught foods, when using the small purchase and formal procurement methods if they do not overly restrict competition. For example, CNP operators may require as part of their solicitation that products are delivered within a certain number of hours of harvest or certified organic, or that certain other services are offered, such as producer profiles or farm visits.

In addition to cash reimbursement, other strategies for sourcing local food include:

USDA Foods in Schools (USDA Foods) and USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (USDA DoD Fresh) as Sources for Local Foods

CNPs receive USDA Foods entitlement dollars, which can be used to order food procured by the USDA through USDA Foods. USDA Foods are 100% American-grown and produced and include a wide variety of high-quality fruits, vegetables, dairy products, whole grains, and protein foods for use by schools and institutions participating in the NSLP, SFSP, and CACFP. USDA makes USDA Foods available to CNP in three ways: direct delivery, USDA Foods processing, and the USDA DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. USDA Foods offers information on where USDA Foods have been historically sourced, but product origin is not available at the time of selection. CNP operators may access reports on the origin of historically sourced foods by reviewing the USDA Foods State of Origin Reports. For more information, visit USDA Foods: A Resource for Maximizing Food Budgets to Buy Local.

NSLP and SFSP operators may also use entitlement dollars to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables purchased by the DoD Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) through USDA DoD Fresh. USDA DoD Fresh vendors are encouraged to source local produce when seasonally available and are required to report the state(s) where each fruit or vegetable is grown in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Order/Receipt System (FFAVORS). CNP operators that want to order local produce through USDA DoD Fresh should start by looking for the State of Origin information or look for produce indicated as locally grown in the FFAVORS catalog. For more information, check out the USDA DoD Fresh Program: A Source for Locally Grown Fact Sheet.

Donations

Procurement regulations do not apply when products are donated directly to CNPs. CNP operators should ensure any donated products, including local foods, meet federal, state, local, and Tribal food safety requirements. For more information on the use of donated foods in schools, see SP 11-2012, CACFP 05-2012, SFSP 07-2012 Guidance on the Food Donation Program in Child Nutrition Programs, SP 01-2016, CACFP 01-2016, SFSP 01-2016 Procuring Local Meat, Poultry, Game and Eggs for Child Nutrition Programs, and SP 32-2009 School Gardens Q&A.

Tools and Technical Assistance

FNS offers a variety of policy memos, fact sheets, and other resources to support local procurement. These resources are available on the USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program’s Procuring Local Foods webpage.

FNS reminds state agencies to distribute this information to CNP operators immediately. CNP operators should direct any questions regarding this memorandum to the appropriate state agency. State agencies should direct questions to the appropriate FNS regional office.

Tina Namian
Acting Director
Community Food Systems Division
Child Nutrition Programs

Washington, D.C., May 2, 2025 - In the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has taken bold action to support the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and work to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“President Trump has made fixing our chronic health problems a main priority. Our farmers and ranchers produce the safest, most abundant food supply in the world, and we are working every day to ensure our kids and families are eating the healthiest foods. We have made great strides in the last 100 days to Make America Healthy Again,” said Secretary Rollins.

On her first full day in office, Secretary Rollins sent a letter to the nation’s governors (PDF, 88.8 KB), outlining her vision for the Department and inviting them to participate in a new “laboratories for innovation” initiative to create bold solutions to long-ignored challenges. She has supported the leadership of states who are submitting waivers to Make America Healthy Again. The MAHA movement at USDA has also supported major voluntary changes to make food healthier, including applauding the dairy industry for voluntarily removing artificial colors from the National School Lunch Program.

At the direction of President Trump, USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are ensuring programs work harder to encourage healthy eating and lifestyle habits. As part of the MAHA Commission led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this work will not only research and report the many reasons children face unbelievable rates of diet-related disease like obesity and diabetes but also how government can implement change through things like revised dietary policy, state innovation, and less regulation. Secretary Kennedy and Secretary Rollins collaborated on their first MAHA event during a visit to Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School in Alexandria, VA where they participated in a healthy snack time with students and met facility staff. The event was an opportunity to learn more about the impact that federally funded nutrition programs have on children and signaled their strong partnership to work together to effectuate their vision for a healthier America. The Secretaries also wrote an opinion piece in USA Today outlining their plan to MAHA.

This week, the Secretaries visited Texas to discuss food security and learn how America’s farmers are working to Make America Healthy Again by visiting cutting-edge laboratories at the Texas A&M Norman E. Borlaug Building and receiving a briefing on the Grand Nutrition Challenge at the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA). The Secretaries then toured the Automated Precision Phenotyping Greenhouse in addition to touring the fourth-generation Sawyer Farms who are utilizing stewardship practices to ensure healthy production of a robust barley, rye, corn, and wheat crop. The visit to Texas A&M IHA included amplifying the HHS and USDA commitment to a timely and consumer-facing update to Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). On March 11, 2025, after the inaugural meeting of the Make America Healthy Again Commission, Secretary Rollins and Secretary Kennedy announced a commitment to a final DGA no later than Dec. 31, 2025.

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Washington, D.C., April 4, 2025 — U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary (USDA) Brooke L. Rollins Thursday collaborated on their first Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) event during a visit to Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School in Alexandria, VA where they participated in a healthy snack time with students and met facility staff. The event was an opportunity to learn more about the impact that federally funded nutrition programs have on children and signaled their strong partnership to work together to effectuate their vision for a healthier America.

“Secretary Kennedy and I have a unique once in a generation opportunity to better align our vision on nutrition related programs to ensure we are working together to advance President Trump’s vision to make our kids, our families, and our communities healthy again,” said Secretary Rollins. “Our farmers, ranchers, and producers dedicate their lives to growing the safest most abundant food supply in the world and we need to make sure our kids and families are consuming the healthiest food we produce. There is a chronic health problem in our country, and American agriculture is at the core of the solution.”

“Secretary Rollins and I are committed to working together to fulfill President Trump’s mandate to Make America Healthy Again,” Secretary Kennedy said. “Thanks to leaders like Virginia Governor Youngkin, the MAHA agenda is gaining momentum. I urge every governor to champion legislation that bans ultra-processed foods and dyes in public schools, and submit a waiver to the USDA to remove soda from SNAP. Secretary Rollins and I look forward to celebrating these achievements with Governors at the White House this summer.”

At the direction of President Trump, USDA and HHS are ensuring programs work harder to encourage healthy eating and lifestyle habits. As part of the MAHA Commission led by Secretary Kennedy, this work will not only research and report the many reasons children face unbelievable rates of diet-related disease like obesity and diabetes, but how government can implement change through things like revised dietary policy, state innovation, and less regulation.

This is the first of many collaborations between leaders at HHS and USDA to change the course of public health in the U.S.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

This page is updated annually to provide income guidelines for state agencies to use in determining the eligibility of households to receive USDA Foods for home consumption in TEFAP.

Per 7 CFR 251.5(b), each TEFAP state agency must establish uniform statewide criteria for determining eligibility for USDA Foods for home consumption. This eligibility criteria must include maximum income-based standards at or between 185 percent to 300 percent of the U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines (Poverty Guidelines) published annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

To find your state's TEFAP income eligibility guidelines, please contact your state agency.

2025 Income Guidelines

48 Contiguous States, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico

Alaska

Hawaii

This memorandum provides guidance on the school year (SY) 2025-26 Buy American accommodation process in 7 CFR 210.21(d)(8) and 7 CFR 220.16(d)(8). The accommodation process provides the state agency the ability to approve temporary relief for school food authorities (SFAs) that demonstrate they cannot meet the thresholds for non-domestic food purchases established in 7 CFR 210.21(d)(5) and 7 CFR 220.16(d)(5).

The first threshold limit for non-domestic food purchases will be implemented beginning in SY 2025-26. Non-domestic food purchases by the SFAs cannot exceed the annual threshold, which for SY 2025-26 is 10 percent of total commercial food expenditures, and is intended to shift more purchases to domestic products.¹ Domestic products are food products processed in the United States using agricultural commodities that are over 51 percent domestically grown.² The Buy American threshold requirement is an important provision that helps implement the mission of the school meal programs specified at Section 2 [42 USC 1751] of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to “…encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities and other foods…” for school children.

It has come to our attention that, as SFAs plan for the procurement of food for SY 2025-26, there are concerns about certain products which are integral to school meals menus and the program’s nutrition standards that may be difficult to procure domestically. These products include cereals and fruit juices as well as popular fruits and vegetables. The availability of these foods provides students familiar options they enjoy both at school and home and support an exceptional level of customer service in the school meal programs. There are two regulatory exceptions for non-domestic purchases at 7 CFR 210.21(d)(5) and 7 CFR 220.16(d)(5) which are available for SFAs to use to support non-domestic purchases. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also included the accommodation provision in program regulations to provide temporary relief from the Buy American threshold as the state agency works with the SFA to increase their domestic purchases.

The accommodation will allow SFAs to exceed the 10 percent threshold. State agencies will provide technical assistance to SFAs to support the temporary accommodation consistent with the availability of the two regulatory exceptions for non-domestic purchases as SFAs demonstrate they are unable to meet the requirement. A temporary accommodation for the threshold requirement is only available for non-domestic purchases that qualify under one or more of the regulatory exceptions.

To ensure a timely and effective provision of relief authorized by program regulations, USDA has established a streamlined accommodation process for SY 2025-26. The streamlined accommodation process will allow SFAs to exceed the 10 percent threshold while making progress towards coming into compliance with the Buy American threshold requirement.

SFAs seeking a temporary accommodation from the Buy American threshold requirement, using the streamlined process for SY 2025-26, should complete and submit to their state agency the “SFA Accommodation Plan SY 2025-26” attached. State agencies should review complete requests for accommodation in a timely manner and may approve these requests. In addition, SFAs and state agencies should continue to work together on the Buy American requirements through on-going routine technical assistance and training. State agencies should report to their Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) regional offices on a quarterly basis the total number of accommodations requested, the total number approved, and the types of non-domestic food products purchased by SFAs requesting the accommodation. USDA will use that information to better understand SFAs’ challenges in meeting the thresholds for non-domestic food purchases. State agencies should provide this memorandum to all SFAs immediately and direct any questions to the appropriate FNS regional office.

Jessica Saracino
Director
Program Monitoring and Operational Support
Child Nutrition Programs

Attachment

• SFA Accomodation Plan SY 2025-26

¹ See 7 CFR 210.21(d)(5)(ii)(A) and 7 CFR 220.16(d)(5)(ii)(A).
² See Section 12(n)(1) of the National School Lunch Act, 42 USC 1760(n)(1) and regulations at 7 CFR 210.21(d)(1)(i) and 7 CFR 220.16(d)(1)(i).

The Team Nutrition School Breakfast poster is designed for school nutrition programs to display daily breakfast menu options and remind students to eat a variety of foods while building a reimbursable meal. The fillable pdf file can be used for digital message boards, webpages, and social media or printed to be displayed in sign holders.

The text field at the top can be used for the date, school name, or additional statements that may be needed to help students build a reimbursable meal under Offer versus Serve, such as “Choose at least 3 items. Take at least ½ cup of fruit and/or vegetable.”

Availability

All are welcome to download these materials and make copies. To download the file, please right-click on the link and select “save link as.”

This webinar provides an overview of the Request for Information: Grain-Based Desserts and High-Protein Yogurt Crediting in Child Nutrition Programs. This webinar recording is captioned in English.

This webinar provides an overview of the Tribal Pilot Projects Request for Information. This webinar recording is captioned in English.

This memorandum is the third set of questions and answers on the rural non-congregate summer meals option established through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the Act) (PL 117-328), and codified through the interim final rule (IFR), Implementing Provisions from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023: Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-congregate Option in the Summer Meal Programs (88 FR 90230). The Act authorized permanent, non-congregate meal service through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and National School Lunch Program’s (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO) for rural areas with no congregate meal service.

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide state agencies and program operators with additional clarification on rural non-congregate requirements and guidance to enhance program integrity. The first memorandum in this series, SFSP 07-2024, SP 13-2024, Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas Questions and Answers, Feb. 21, 2024, updates earlier guidance originally issued for summer 2023 operations and ensures consistency with the provisions of the IFR. The second memorandum in this series, SFSP 08-2024, SP 15-2024, Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas Questions and Answers #2, March 27, 2024, addresses additional implementation topics based on feedback received by state agencies and program stakeholders. The following operational topics are addressed in this guidance:

• Meal Service and Meal Quality;
• Civil Rights Requirements;
• Monitoring and Program Integrity; and
• General/Miscellaneous.

FNS appreciates the exceptional efforts of state agencies and local program operators working to meet the nutritional needs of participants during the summer months. SFSP and SSO rely on innovative and collaborative efforts to provide summer meals to children in need. State agencies are reminded to distribute this memorandum to program operators immediately. Program operators should direct any questions concerning this guidance to their state agency. State agencies with questions should contact the appropriate FNS regional office.

Sincerely,

Attachment

• Questions and Answers #3