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.
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.
This recorded session gives a brief overview of USDA’s partnership with Nutri-Link, discusses how the new SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) application works, and describes how the application can supplement state and ITO efforts to certify eligible children for Summer EBT benefits.
USDA, in partnership with Nutri-Link Technologies, Inc., is developing an online application to make it easier for families to apply for Summer EBT benefits and easier for states to run the new program.
Provisions in the final rule that could impact CACFP and/or SFSP.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 authorized Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) as a permanent federal food assistance entitlement program beginning in summer 2024. Summer EBT has been tested through evaluations of demonstration projects since 2011. With pending implementation of this new program, this is an appropriate time to reflect on what USDA, FNS research has learned through more than a decade of study.
Poster showing rules for CACFP Family Style Meals.
Poster showing rules for CACFP Family Style Meals.
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.