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Resource | Federal Register Notices NSLP, SMP, SBP - National Average Payments/Maximum Reimbursement Rates

This notice announces the annual adjustments to the national average payments, the amount of money the federal government provides states for lunches, afterschool snacks, and breakfasts served to children participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; to the maximum reimbursement rates, the maximum per lunch rate from federal funds that a state can provide a school food authority for lunches served to children participating in the National School Lunch Program; and to the rate of reimbursement for a half-pint of milk served to non-needy children in a school or institution that participates in the Special Milk Program for Children.

07/10/2024
Resource | Policy Notice to Beneficiaries and Prospective Beneficiaries

USDA and eight other federal agencies recently published a final rule entitled, Partnerships With Faith-Based and Neighborhood Organizations at 89 FR 15671 (final rule). The final rule amended USDA regulations at 7 CFR part 16 related to equal opportunity for faith-based organizations that operate USDA programs and religious protections for USDA program beneficiaries.

07/01/2024
Resource | Federal Register Notices Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2024-2025)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals, free milk, and Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits for the period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. 

02/20/2024
Resource | Webinars/Videos CNP Integrity Final Rule: School Meal Programs Provisions Webinar

This webinar gives an overview of the rulemaking process, highlights specific regulatory changes and provisions that impact the school meal programs, and provides information regarding resources for the final rule.

01/19/2024
Resource | Final Rule Final Rule: Applying for Free and Reduced Price Meals in NSLP and SBP and for Benefits in Special Milk Program (SMP) and Technical Amendments

This rule finalizes changes to eligibility determinations for free and reduced price school meals to implement nondiscretionary provisions of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.

10/28/2011
Resource | Guidance Documents Guidance on Paid Lunch Equity and Revenue from Nonprogram Foods

This memorandum provides updated questions and answers to the Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010 implementation memorandum SP 39-2011, Guidance on Paid Lunch Equity and Revenue from Nonprogram Foods.

10/24/2011
Resource | Guidance Documents Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications – Requests for Additional Information

This memorandum responds to questions received from regional offices, state agencies and local educational agencies (LEAs) regarding applications for free and reduced price school meals that request the applicant to provide information that is not required for a student’s certification of eligibility for child nutrition programs.

09/30/2011
Resource | Guidance Documents Food Safety Inspections in Service-Only Sites Participating in the School Meals Programs

This memorandum satisfies GAO’s recommendations for the Food and Nutrition Service to issue more specific guidance to states and school districts regarding the applicability of the food safety inspections requirement in schools that do not prepare food, such as those that only serve pre-packaged meals or meals delivered from a central preparation location (referred to in this memorandum as service-only sites). 

08/03/2011
Resource | Guidance Documents Water Availability During NSLP Meal Service

This memorandum provides questions and answers to update the Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010 implementation memorandum SP 28-2011, Water Availability During National School Lunch Program Meal Service.

07/12/2011
Resource | Policy Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010 - Local School Wellness Policies

This memorandum provides information on the new requirements for local wellness policies so that local educational agencies can begin reviewing their policies for the coming school year 2011-12, and begin moving forward on implementing the new requirements.

07/08/2011
Page updated: October 14, 2021