Blog
Critical Need to Increase Food Security in Rural Alaska
A key part of our work to end hunger, improve nutrition, increase physical activity, and reduce diet-related diseases is focusing on historically under-served areas, like rural and Tribal communities. Alaska, for instance, faces unique challenges.
09/20/2023
Blog
FNCS Supports Food Sovereignty of Tribal Nations
Stacy Dean, FNCS Deputy Under Secretary , was inspired by how three tribes - Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe - are dreaming big in terms of food sovereignty through FDIPR and SNAP.
08/01/2023
Blog
Cultivating Health, Nutrition & Innovation in the Land of Enchantment
USDA FNS Administrator and regional FNS leadership visited New Mexico to recognize several FNS nutrition assistance programs in action and learn how FNS can support their work. New Mexico is one of the first states to offer healthy meals to all children, ensuring more kids have access to the meals they need to thrive at school and beyond.
06/23/2023
Blog
Industry Partners’ Role in School Meals is Crucial
Food industry partners play a crucial role in producing, procuring and delivering food for our school meal programs. Despite the challenges that industry and school food service operators have encountered over the past few years, they have continued delivering food and serving nutritious meals to tens of millions of children every day.
03/23/2023
Blog
School Meals Served up Fresh in Southern California
The Urban School Food Alliance winter meeting in Los Angeles, California included FNS sessions focused on child nutrition programs. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions about the child nutrition programs they administer, including the recent updates.
03/10/2023
Blog
Cultural Relevance in SNAP-Ed: Let’s Get “Real”
Oklahoma Tribal Engagement Partners collaborates with sovereign tribal nations and tribal organizations throughout Oklahoma to tailor SNAP-Ed programming to meet the needs of Native families. Over time, focus groups have expressed what matters to Natives: the need to be “real.” As organizations look to develop culturally relevant programming, they must step back and listen to what matters to families.
11/02/2022
Blog
USDA Food Assistance Programs at Work in Guam and CNMI
On August 14-19, a leadership team traveled to Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Marianna Islands to meet with the territories’ leadership, superintendents and commissioners, that administer USDA food assistance programs. They discussed the challenges of transitioning back to pre-pandemic operations, how USDA could assist, and lessons learned.
10/12/2022
Blog
FNS Programs at Work in the San Francisco Bay Area
In early August, Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean and Administrator Cindy Long travelled to San Francisco for meetings and events related to the work FNS does to support local communities - visiting programs that have an impact on addressing hunger.
08/23/2022
Blog
USDA Celebrates National Farmers Market Week
Secretary Thomas Vilsack has proclaimed August 7-13 as National Farmers Market Week in order to champion the direct-to-consumer producers, market managers, and customers that make their communities come alive during market days. USDA recognizes and celebrates those that make farmers market happen, and customers that continue to support them.
08/08/2022
Blog
Enrollment in Head Start Programs Now Easier for Families
On May 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families and USDA's Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services partnered to celebrate a step forward in streamlining access to crucial government programs.
07/15/2022
Blog
USDA Advances Market Opportunities through Farm to School Program
It's no secret that supply chain issues experienced across the country have created challenges with food accessibility. Rising COVID-19 cases along with severe weather complicated the flow of goods and services, yet USDA programs have responded with creative solutions to ensure Americans had access to healthy foods.
01/19/2022
Blog
You Spoke, We Listened: The Challenges of Purchasing Healthy Food with SNAP Benefits
As directed by Congress in 2018, USDA is re-evaluating the Thrifty Food Plan - the estimated cost of an affordable, nutritious diet and used to calculate SNAP benefit levels. To complement the re-evaluation efforts and gather insights from those who will be impacted by the result, USDA recently hosted five listening sessions with SNAP participants, researchers, advocates and others.
08/09/2021
Page updated: February 25, 2021