This report responds to a requirement of PL 110-246 to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to conduct direct certification of children for free school meals. Under direct certification, children are determined eligible for free meals without the need for household applications by using data from other means-tested programs.
We recently received a request from a state agency to completely waive the requirement that the state agency conduct an interview at recertification for all households
This report, required under the 2008 Farm Bill, reviews the nutritional quality of the food package provided through USDA’s Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, comparing its content to scientific standards including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Dietary Reference Intakes, the Thrifty Food Plan nutrient standards and the Healthy Eating Index-2005.
Attached are additional questions and answers in response to issues raised by state agencies on SNAP certification and eligibility provisions of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.
It has come to our attention that there is confusion over the Quality Control application of the certification policy that allows state agencies to disallow deductions when the households fails to provide requested verification or fails to report an expense after being advised that failure to do so would result in the loss of a deduction.
A number of schools nationwide are still having difficulty obtaining the two food safety inspections required by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. Although FNS realizes that many of the difficulties schools face are beyond their control, we would like to stress that local program operators are responsible for requesting the food safety inspections from the public health department and documenting their efforts.
Questions and answers on the certification issues in the 2008 Farm Bill.
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 requires school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School Breakfast Program (SBP) to implement a school food safety program for the preparation and service of school meals served to children.
Cost-of-Living adjustments to the SNAP allotments, deductions, income eligibility standards for the 48 states, D.C., Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
Attached are questions and answers in response to issues raised by states during nationwide teleconferences on the Food Stamp Program provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.