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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a $1.13 billion investment to support local and regional food systems, building upon the Department’s previous investments in the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and Local Food for Schools programs. 

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.

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’s FNS awarded a total of $10 million in grants through its partners – Full Plates Full Potential and the Illinois Public Health Institute – as part of USDA’s $100 million Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative. The initiative empowers schools to continue serving delicious, healthy meals that give students nutrition to grow and thrive.

Secretary Tom Vilsack announced major steps to promote the health of America’s children through school meals. Nutrition standards for school meals will be gradually updated to include less sugar and flexibility with menu planning between Fall 2025 and Fall 2027. The Department arrived at these changes after listening closely to public feedback and considering the latest science-based recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that four school districts in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, and Ohio received awards for their trailblazing and innovative efforts to improve the nutritional quality of meals for their students.