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.
This rule eliminates two time-limited state options in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) program regulations that are now obsolete.
We are pleased to approve the request dated May 16, 2025, from the Utah Department of Workforce Services to allow the state to operate a novel demonstration project to amend the statutory definition of food for purchase by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients.
We are pleased to approve the request dated May 16, 2025, from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to allow the state to operate a novel demonstration project to amend the statutory definition of food for purchase by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients.
We are pleased to approve the request dated April 15, 2025, from the Arkansas Department of Human Services to allow the state to operate a novel demonstration project to amend the statutory definition of ineligible food for purchase by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients.
This rule rescinds an unnecessary reporting requirement for the school meals application verification process.
This rule removes the Coordinated Services Plan (CSP) requirement for the Summer Food Service Program and Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program under the “Implementing Provisions from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023: Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal Programs” interim final rule published Dec. 29, 2023.
The purpose of the Uniform Grant Application Package for Discretionary Grant Programs is to provide a standardized format for the development of all Requests for Applications for discretionary grant programs released by the Food and Nutrition Service Agency and to allow for a more expeditious OMB clearance process.
As a reminder, meals and snacks offered through the child nutrition programs may be claimed for federal reimbursement if they meet the federal nutrition requirements and other federal regulations. State agencies may not withhold federal reimbursement for meals that meet the federal requirements, even if additional state requirements are not met. However, if a state provides an additional reimbursement above the federal reimbursement, they may withhold the state reimbursement.
Under the leadership of Secretary Brooke Rollins, USDA is prioritizing the clarification of statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements of the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.