This guidance is intended to assist state agencies and program operators of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program in meeting the longstanding federal requirement to collect race and ethnicity data of program participants.
FNS works to ensure all communities in need have access to foods that support health and well-being. Our goal is to ensure program participants have access to culturally and religiously preferred foods and that program operators have resources to best serve their communities.
The Civil Rights Division ensures that FNS complies with the laws, regulations, policies and guidance that prohibit discrimination against employees and applicants in the federal workplace. Equal Employment Opportunity laws prohibit discrimination in employment to ensure fair hiring, competition in promotions and equal access to training/development opportunities.
This fact sheet outlines a number of additional resources for those seeking to directly purchase or raise food products for school nutrition programs.
"Food Safety Frequently Asked Questions: The Food Safety Modernization Act and its Impact on Farm to School Activities": This document includes common questions related to food safety when purchasing locally grown and raised food products directly from producers as well as food safety considerations for edible campus gardens.
State agencies, local agencies, or other recipients that fail to provide free language assistance (interpretation/translation) to potentially-eligible persons, applicants, and participants, who are limited English proficient (LEP), or deny LEP persons access to federally assisted programs and activities, may be discriminating on the basis of national origin in violation of Title VI and its implementing regulations.
FNS advances food safety education and practices in federal nutrition assistance programs through research conducted by the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs (the Center). To better understand food safety concerns associated with fresh produce and farm to school activities, the Center conducted a study.
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 prohibits discrimination based on disability by state and local governments.
This webinar discusses school meal procurement strategies and USDA school meal program flexibilities, waivers and training resources for school year 2021-22.