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First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled new standards for school meals that will result in healthier meals for kids across the nation. The new meal requirements will raise standards for the first time in more than fifteen years and improve the health and nutrition of nearly 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs every school day. The healthier meal requirements are a key component of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was championed by the First Lady as part of her Let’s Move! campaign and signed into law by President Obama.

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced more than $4.5 million in grants for 68 projects, spanning 37 states and the District of Columbia, to connect school cafeterias with local agricultural producers.

USDA is coordinating with states and partner organizations to provide disaster nutrition assistance to individuals in 13 states affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced new grants to support schools as they strive to serve healthy food, provide nutrition education, and create an environment focused on healthy eating and physical activity. 

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced that America's students will see healthier and more nutritious foods in the cafeteria as they return to school this year.

Undersecretary Kevin Concannon today announced additional investments in the national school meal programs that will protect taxpayer dollars while providing healthy school meals for low-income kids. The Administrative Review and Training Grants help states improve their operational accuracy in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. The grants highlight the work of states in improving the integrity and efficiency of program administration and delivery.

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced a broad range of additional strategies to further improve program integrity in SNAP and hold those misusing benefits accountable.

USDA FNS Deputy Under Secretary announced that 3,717 schools are now certified in the HUSSC, an initiative that boosts the health and nutrition of the nation’s schoolchildren. 

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today highlighted the historic levels of payment accuracy state agencies achieved in SNAP. Fiscal year 2011 is the fifth consecutive year states improved payment accuracy and program integrity in the nation’s largest nutrition assistance program.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the second annual Summer Food Service Program Week to promote access to healthy meals when schools close for the summer. During the June 11-15 awareness campaign, USDA and its partners will redouble efforts to emphasize the important nutrition benefits offered through SFSP and other healthy meal options available for low-income young people across the nation.

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced new measures to further reduce SNAP fraud as part of the Obama administration's ongoing Campaign to Cut Waste. 

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced awards to help states expand availability of wireless technology in farmers' markets not currently participating in SNAP.

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon announced today that the District of Columbia, New York, Ohio and West Virginia were selected to use an innovative option to reduce administrative paperwork and costs, while making it easier for eligible children in low-income communities to receive free meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced increased support for schools across the nation as they implement healthier and more nutritious school meal standards for America’s kids. Schools will be reimbursed an additional 6 cents for each lunch they serve in accordance with the new standards.

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced today that USDA will be investing in farm to school programs nationwide to help eligible schools improve the health and wellbeing of their students and connect with local agricultural producers.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today joined tribal leaders from across the nation at the National Congress of American Indians to announce investments in positive nutrition education and physical activity habits that can lead to healthier lifestyles. The grants are funded through USDA's Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and will provide nutrition education materials and resources for children and parents in tribal communities in 9 states.

FNS is collaborating with six states on new demonstration projects to connect eligible low-income children with free school meals automatically based on information received from Medicaid. The new process will allow for administrative efficiencies, reduce improper payments and streamline efforts to provide access to critical nutrition for kids across the nation.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today joined tribal leaders from across the nation at the National Congress of American Indians to announce investments in positive nutrition education and physical activity habits that can lead to healthier lifestyles. The grants are funded through USDA's Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and will provide nutrition education materials and resources for children and parents in tribal communities in 9 states.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today marked National School Breakfast Week by emphasizing the administration's commitment to provide schoolchildren with healthy, well-balanced meals to prepare them for a productive school day.

USDA announced today 27 grants to local organizations to build community food systems and fight hunger and food insecurity. The awards were made by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture through its Community Food Projects program. The new projects, totaling $4.8 million in funding, include a teen-run community kitchen incubator, faith-based community food assessments, a program to help indigenous people return to healthful eating, and a youth-led food security movement. Community Food Projects have been funded in nearly 350 communities in 48 states in the program's 15-year history.