Detailed guidance on recent regulatory changes to the Buy American provisions. The Buy American Exceptions Tracking Standard Form is an optional template that school food authorities can use to organize files and document the use of exceptions to purchase non-domestic foods under the Buy American provision.
FNS published the Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule and amended regulations at 7 CFR 226.7(b) and 7 CFR 226.10(c) to codify the requirement for an annual reconciliation of bank account activity and accounting of reported actual expenditures with Child and Adult Care Food Program payments. This memorandum provides a summary of each provision and instructions for how to complete the annual verification of bank account activity and actual expenditures.
This memorandum provides a detailed explanation of the expanded geographic preference option.
On April 25, 2024, FNS published the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This rule includes minor updates to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program to better align Child Nutrition Program requirements. These updates represent continued progress toward supporting the nutrition quality of school meals, strengthening the Child Nutrition Programs, and advancing USDA’s commitment to nutrition security.
This memorandum provides notice to child nutrition program operators regarding Sections 739, 747, 748, 769, and 770 of Division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, enacted on March 9, 2024. This memorandum applies to state agencies administering, and local organizations operating, the federal CNPs.
On April 18, 2024, FNS published the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions in the WIC Food Packages final rule. Through this policy memorandum, FNS formally describes the timeline and parameters for implementation of the provisions of the final rule.
This policy memorandum transmits the 2024-2025 Income Eligibility Guidelines for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance to state agencies and school food authorities on the paid lunch equity requirements for SY 2024-25. This memorandum explains the PLE exemption provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. This memorandum also provides guidance for SFAs that do not qualify for the exemption.
Effective with the publication of the WIC Final Rule: Implementation of the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 and Related Provisions on Dec. 14, 2023, state agencies are now required to include a plan of alternate operating procedures, commonly referred to as a disaster plan, as part of their state plan.
This memorandum provides additional information regarding the provisions related to the frequency and number of reviews for state agencies monitoring the Child and Adult Care Food Program, that were codified in the Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule published on Aug.23, 2023. These provisions have a compliance date of Aug. 23, 2024.