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Basic page Study Series: School Meal Program Operations

We have studied school meal program operations for a long time. You can access published reports that go back to school year 1988-89. Each study in this series focuses on topics that are important to program operations at the time. Sometimes the studies also collect information about other child nutrition programs, like the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program.

03/24/2026
Resource | Research and Data School Meal Program Operations, School Year 2022-23

We regularly collect information about the school meal programs and how they operate from the people who know best – the state agencies that oversee the programs in each state and territory and the school food authorities that manage the programs locally in one or more schools. 

03/24/2026
Resource | Policy Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request - WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence

This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for awarding local agencies for excellence in WIC breastfeeding services and support. The Child Nutrition Act of 1966 requires that the Department of Agriculture establish a program to recognize WIC local agencies and clinics that demonstrate exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support activities.

03/11/2026
Resource | Policy Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 – Promoting Real Food in Child Nutrition Programs

In this program guidance, Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Rollins, strongly encourages child nutrition program operators to familiarize themselves with the key recommendations and consider how the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 can be incorporated into program meals and snacks to promote healthy outcomes and healthy families.

02/11/2026
Resource | Policy Information Collection: OMB Generic Clearance for the Annual Survey of School Food Authorities

The studies encompassed under this information collection will collect data from school food authorities administering the child nutrition programs, including information on emerging and ongoing challenges, their impacts on operations and student participation, and strategies SFAs are undertaking to address challenges they face.

01/23/2026
Resource | Policy Semiannual Regulatory Agenda, Spring 2025

This agenda provides summary descriptions of significant and not significant regulations being developed in agencies of the USDA in conformance with Executive Orders 12866, “Regulatory Planning and Review,” 13563, “Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,” 14192, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” and 14219, “Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President's “Department of Government Efficiency” Deregulatory Initiative.” 

09/22/2025
Resource | Technical Assistance Letter to WIC State Health Commissioners

Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Rollins, we have an opportunity to leverage the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to Make America Healthy Again.

06/17/2025
Resource | Policy Information Collection - WIC Tribal Organizations and U.S. Territories Study

This notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection for the WIC Tribal Organizations and U.S. Territories Study. This is a new information collection request.

06/13/2025
Resource | Policy Comment Request: WIC & FMNP Outreach, Innovation, and Modernization Evaluation

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which was signed into law in March 2021, provided USDA with $390 million and waiver authority for outreach, innovation, and program modernization in WIC and the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. FNS is interested in understanding the implementation and outcomes related to these modernization efforts.

06/11/2025
Resource | Policy Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs

This memorandum provides notice to child nutrition program operators regarding the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (the 2025 Appropriations Act), March 15, 2025. This applies to state agencies administering, and local organizations operating, the USDA FNS child nutrition programs.

05/14/2025
Page updated: October 14, 2021