This notice sets forth the interpretation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses for the term “Federal public benefit” as used in Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. In doing so, this notice supersedes any prior interpretation in any notice or other document issued by any USDA agency. This notice also describes and preliminarily identifies the USDA programs that provide “Federal public benefits” within the scope of PRWORA.
The Federal-State Supplemental Nutrition Programs Agreement (form FNS-339) is an annual contract between USDA and each state, territory, and Indian Tribal Government agency seeking to operate one or more of the following programs: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), and the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).
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.
The proposed information collection is a request for a revision of a currently approved collection of information relating to the reporting and recordkeeping burden associated with completing, submitting, and maintaining a record of form FNS-339, the Federal-State Supplemental Nutrition Programs Agreement for the administration of WIC, FMNP, and SFMNP.
The activities that are covered by this Information Collection Request include the transition from individual collections for program waivers and state plans to a new application supporting multiple USDA programs.
FNS uses the information to assess how each FMNP state agency operates; to ensure the accountability of state agencies, local agencies, and farmers/farmers' markets/roadside stands; to make program management decisions; and to report to Congress as needed.
This guidance provides resources that state agencies may use when considering next steps and set forth instructions for submitting state plan amendments that involve operational changes such as electronic solution proposals and/or WIC FMNP waiver requests.
WIC has been serving families for more than 50 years. To ensure that WIC continues to get results, the program must modernize.
This letter provides information to WIC state agencies and WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program state agencies on available American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 waivers and a new state agency request process.
These files contain WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program profile data by fiscal year.