Blog
Turnip the Beet on Summer Meals
It’s award season! USDA is excited to highlight summer meal sponsors who go above and beyond to ensure children receive nutritious, appetizing meals.
03/22/2024
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
Connecting Kids To Meals: A Valued Resource For Kids In Northwest Ohio
Connecting Kids to Meals, known as CKM, is a nonprofit agency in Toledo, Ohio, that provides healthy meals at no cost to at-risk kids in low-income and underserved areas of Northwest Ohio. With a nearly 20-year history of feeding hungry kids, the critical work of CKM becomes more important every day.
05/22/2023
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
Your Market is Only a Few Clicks Away: Navigating USDA’s Local Food Directories
USDA’s Local Food Directories make it easy for customers to find fresh local foods through four local outlets. Recent updates have made the directories easier to use on the go, on your phone or computer. We’ve also launched a new directory for agritourism. As the platform continues to grow, here are a few tips on how to navigate this resource.
08/15/2022
Blog
Discovering Trends in the 2019 National Farmers Market Managers Survey
The 2019 National Farmers Market Survey conducted by the USDA’s AMS and the NASS collected data regarding the market practices of managers in 2019 from 10,000 farmers markets. Using trends and statistics found from these efforts, AMS and Wheaton College created five research briefs highlighting results from this survey and sharing insights into the trajectory for farmers markets into the future.
08/15/2022
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
Harvesting Health All Summer Long
The FNS Turnip the Beet awards recognize outstanding summer meal program sponsors for going above and beyond, ensuring children receive high quality meals in a fun, safe and healthy learning environment when school is out.
07/06/2022
Blog
Farm to School to Future!
We joined Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester at a school to celebrate National Nutrition Month, and learn about its innovative farm-to-school program developed with support from two USDA Farm to School grants. Program curriculum is integrated into many of the school’s 24 different tracks that students can take to build their future careers.
04/11/2022
Blog
Celebrating National Farmers Market Week
The first week of August, farmers markets across the nation celebrate National Farmers Market Week, highlighting their role in supporting healthy communities, food systems and stimulating local economies.
08/02/2021
Blog
Supporting Local Farmers to Feed Children in Hawaii
We applaud the food service professionals and community partners who have utilized the flexibilities and guidance that USDA has provided to come up with creative ways to get food to the children who need it. In Hawaii, one community college professional found a way to pull resources together for a common cause.
05/21/2020
Blog
Innovation and Collaboration Bring Summer Meals to Children in Rural Texas
Children’s nutritional needs do not take a summer break. This summer, FNS partnered with the Texas Department of Agriculture and Baylor University’s Texas Hunger Initiative to help keep Texas children in several low-income rural areas fed during the summer through a summer meals demonstration project.
08/15/2019
Blog
FNS Fills the Summer Meal Gap in Rural Areas
Most kids look forward to the end of school and the start of summer vacation, but for some it can also mean the loss of the regular meals they rely on during the school year. USDA’s summer meal programs, including the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option, are there to help families ensure children have access to nutritious meals and snacks that help them learn and grow during the summer months.
06/21/2019
Blog
Just Announced ‘Turnip the Beet’ Awards Recognize High-Quality Summer Meals
As school years draw to a close and summer breaks begin, USDA is pleased to announce the third annual Turnip the Beet awardees. These awards recognize outstanding summer meal program sponsors who distinguished themselves with high quality meals that are appetizing, appealing, and wholesome.
06/18/2019
Blog
Across Country, USDA Kicks Off Summer Meals
The school year is out and summer meals are in! Around the country, places like schools, recreation centers, parks, churches, and libraries are serving free, nutritious summer meals to kids up to 18 years old through USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). SFSP was designed to help low-income students during the summer months who aren’t receiving free or reduced-price school meals to continue to have access to meals and snacks.
05/26/2019
Page updated: February 25, 2021