Newsroom

FNS is expanding its fraud prevention efforts with a pilot program designed to reduce out-of-state benefit theft in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. While the vast majority of SNAP benefits are used as intended to provide critical nutrition support to families in need, USDA is committed to rooting out all program fraud, including stolen benefits. 

USDA announced that people recovering from Tropical Storm Helene may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Approximately 22,858 households in eight counties are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses.

USDA FNS and the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) today announced the signing of a joint agreement to strengthen college student access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. 

USDA announced that people recovering from Hurricane Helene may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Approximately 357,291 households in 28 South Carolina counties and one Tribe are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses. 

USDA announced today that it is partnering with Reinvestment Fund to invest nearly $6 million to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities across the country.  

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that students eligible for free and reduced price school meals must not be charged junk fees along with the cost of a meal served through the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program.

FNS announced today dozens of improvements to USDA’s food distribution programs, including enhancing the assistance available to disaster victims. As part of this final rule, we are removing unnecessary barriers that prevented eligible families from receiving both Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as D-SNAP, benefits and a Disaster Household Distribution box of USDA Foods, if needed.

USDA today announced a $29 million investment into programs supporting the WIC Workforce National Strategy. The investment will fund eight projects by addressing the workforce needs of WIC agencies, enhancing diversity and cultural competency, and increasing the uptake of WIC benefits and services.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today visited Asheville, North Carolina, to hear firsthand from local, state and Tribal officials, emergency managers, food bank staff and volunteers, and impacted producers on the region’s relief and recovery efforts and highlighted resources from USDA to help producers, families, and communities in the Tarheel State recover from the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene.

USDA kicked off its Fall 2024 Healthy Meals Summit today, the largest gathering of school nutrition partners ever convened by the federal government. The summit will both celebrate the healthy school meals being served across the country and equip schools with tools and best practices to elevate the nutritional quality of their meals.

USDA announced that people in Florida recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton may be eligible for food assistance through USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). Approximately 407,733 households in 24 Florida counties are estimated to be eligible for this relief to help with grocery expenses.

USDA announced today an investment of more than $46 million in projects aimed to tackle food and nutrition insecurity in underserved communities, as well as support healthy diets by providing access to fruits and vegetables for eligible families.

FNS awarded West Virginia a SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant. This investment will help the state improve and expand recipient fraud prevention, detection and investigation efforts using the procedures, ideas and practices outlined in the SNAP Fraud Framework.

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small visited Golden Harvest Food Bank in Augusta, Georgia where she took part in a roundtable discussion surrounding the organization’s critical work to provide food and support to local families in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

USDA announced that people in parts of Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee recovering from Tropical Storm Helene may be eligible for food assistance through the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today emphasized USDA’s ongoing commitment to connecting local farmers and producers with schools nationwide that serve meals to about 30 million children every school day.