The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify the WIC blood lead screening provision reflected in the FY 2001 WIC Appropriations Act.

We have received several inquiries regarding the collection of eligibility information during a Provision 2 or Provision 3 cycle.

The Food Stamp Program provides millions of Americans with the means to purchase food for a nutritious diet. This report presents the characteristics of food stamp households nationwide in fiscal year 1999 (October 1998 to September 1999). 

This final policy memorandum provides clarification on several questions raised during the state plan guidance sessions at the NAFMNP meeting in October 2000.

The attached questions and answers concern the final rule’s provisions on Semi-Annual Reporting. They address both certification policy and quality control review procedures. 

The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program are central parts of a national policy designed to safeguard the nutritional well-being of the Nation’s children. Despite the progress that has been achieved over the years in enhancing the quality of school meals, results of research conducted in the early 1990s indicated that school meals, on balance, were not meeting certain key nutritional goals. 

The Food Stamp Program helps needy families purchase food so that they can maintain a nutritious diet. Families are eligible for the program if their financial resources fall below certain income and asset thresholds. This report concentrates on trends in the participation rates since 1994. It focuses on trends in the rates before and after welfare reform, and throughout much of the economic expansion of the 1990s.

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2001 increases the maximum excess shelter expense deduction and allows sates to substitute their TANF vehicle rules for the food stamp vehicle rules where doing so would result in a lower attribution of resources to food stamp households.

The Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (PL 106-224) made a significant change to the procedures involved in terminating the participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program of an institution or a day care home determined to be seriously deficient. Specifically, these new procedures will require a change in the effective date of the termination and the flow of CACFP funds prior to the termination.

Apparently, there are still some state agencies and sponsoring organizations which believe that the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 made substantive changes to the current monitoring requirements for sponsoring organizations. The purpose of this memorandum is to reiterate the information provided to you earlier.