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Secretary Vilsack today announced that the USDA will be awarding $11 million in grants to help schools purchase needed equipment to make preparing and serving healthier meals easier and more efficient for hardworking school food service professionals.

FNS today released a study providing clear evidence that well-designed nutrition education programs can lead to healthier food choices by participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Secretary Vilsack today announced grants for 71 projects spanning 42 states and the District of Columbia that support the USDA efforts to connect school cafeterias with local farmers and ranchers through its Farm to School program.

Secretary Vilsack today highlighted important strides made in offering healthy, local food to millions of school children through USDA's Farm to School program, and emphasized the program's role in creating economic opportunity for America's farmers and ranchers.

Secretary Vilsack made a statement on the release of the USDA Economic Research Service analysis Household Food Security in the United States in 2012.

Undersecretary Kevin Concannon today released a report that examines the trafficking rate in SNAP and better pinpoints where the vast majority of trafficking occurs—smaller stores that typically offer minimal access to the healthier foods encouraged by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Participation in SNAP leads to improved food security, particularly among low-income children, according to the findings of Measuring the Effect of SNAP Participation on Food Security.

A USDA evaluation released today examines the impact of a new alternative delivery method for providing low-income children with access to food during the summer months when school meals are not available. USDA has set a goal of serving 5 million more meals to eligible children this summer.

Secretary Vilsack today announced the results of USDA's Healthy Incentives Pilot and discussed additional steps USDA and its partners are taking to encourage recipients to purchase healthy foods using SNAP benefits.

Secretary Vilsack today announced that under USDA's new "Smart Snacks in School" nutrition standards, America's students will be offered healthier food options during the school day.

Hoy el secretario de Agricultura Tom Vilsack dio inicio a la Semana Nacional del Programa de Servicio de Alimentos de Verano, reiterando el compromiso del USDA de asegurar que ningún niño pase hambre cuando no hay escuela y resaltando el progreso hacia la meta de servir 5 millones de comidas más a los niños elegibles en todo el país.

Today, Secretary Vilsack kicked off National Summer Food Service Program Week by reiterating USDA's commitment to ensuring that no child goes hungry when school is out and highlighting progress towards USDA's goal of serving 5 million more meals to eligible kids across the country.

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced the department is making significant progress towards achieving greater integrity in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 

 Undersecretary Kevin Concannon today announced expanded eligibility for USDA grants to improve access to fresh produce and healthy foods by SNAP recipients at America’s farmers’ markets.

SNAP increases the likelihood that recipients will eat whole fruit, and leads to a modest decrease in the consumption of dark green and orange vegetables, according to a report released today by USDA’s Economic Research Service.

Secretary Vilsack today highlighted the problem of increased childhood hunger during months when school is not in session. At an event at Colina Del Sol Recreation Center, he called on communities across the country to partner with USDA's Summer Food Service Program to ensure that no child goes hungry when school is out. Vilsack reiterated the vital role of partners in reaching eligible children and their families and challenged them to help USDA serve 5 million more meals this summer.

Secretary Vilsack today called on communities across the country to partner with USDA's summer meals program to ensure that no child goes hungry when school is out.

Secretary Vilsack today discussed USDA efforts to improve school meals and outlined the need for a renewed commitment to improve childhood nutrition, which will lead to a healthier generation of Americans.

Undersecretary Kevin Concannon today announced Washington and Ohio have joined a new federal-state partnership targeting recipient fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as part of its SNAP Stewardship Solutions Project.

The USDA today announced the implementation of the SNAP-Ed provisions of the HHFKA. The changes will add a renewed focus on the critical problem of obesity by expanding the scope of existing nutrition education efforts.