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Resource | Policy Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA); Interpretation of “Federal Public Benefit”

This notice sets forth the interpretation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses for the term “Federal public benefit” as used in Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. In doing so, this notice supersedes any prior interpretation in any notice or other document issued by any USDA agency. This notice also describes and preliminarily identifies the USDA programs that provide “Federal public benefits” within the scope of PRWORA.

07/10/2025
Resource | Policy Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods

The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any USDA Child Nutrition Program, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program for Children , Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option , of the many ways they can purchase local foods to serve in program meals.

05/06/2025
Resource | Guidance Documents Small Entity Compliance Guide

This guide informs small entities participating in child nutrition programs about the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and how to comply with it. This guide does not include any new requirements; it just summarizes existing guidance related to the final rule.

06/27/2024
Resource | Policy Revised: Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products in the School Meal Programs, CACFP, and SFSP

This memorandum provides updated guidance on crediting tofu and soy yogurt products in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and extends previous guidance on crediting tofu and soy yogurt products to the Summer Food Service Program, as well as to the infant meal pattern in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

11/29/2023
Resource | Policy Memos Unique Entity Identifier Transition

In April 2022, federal agencies transitioned from use of the DUNS number to the Unique Entity Identifier. Child Nutrition Program Operators are required to have the UEI to receive payments from state agencies who administer the child nutrition programs on behalf of the federal government. This memorandum provides answers to questions related to the transition.

03/20/2023
Resource | Proposed Rule Extension of Comment Period: Streamlining Program Requirements and Improving Integrity in the SFSP

This rulemaking proposes to amend the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) regulations to strengthen program integrity by codifying in regulations changes that have been tested through policy guidance and by streamlining requirements among Child Nutrition Programs. The original comment period for this proposed rule, published on Jan. 23, 2020, ends on March 23, 2020. FNS is extending the comment period through April 22, 2020.

03/24/2020
Resource | Policy Value of USDA Donated Foods for Audits: Revised

The purpose of this audit guidance policy memorandum is to clarify the options available to state distributing agencies or recipient agencies in assigning value to USDA donated foods for audit purposes.

12/02/2016
Resource | Policy Memos Determining Area Eligibility Based on School Data

This memorandum provides guidance on using school data when determining area eligibility for purposes of the child nutrition programs in instances where school attendance areas may not accurately reflect the population of the school for which eligibility data is being used. 

11/23/2012
Resource | Policy Annual Physical Inventory-Reconciliation of Book Inventory to Physical Inventory

This general USDA Foods guidance memorandum provides instructions on how to reconcile the physical inventory conducted at a distributing agency- or subdistributing agency-level storage facility with the book inventory required to be maintained for that facility.

06/15/2006
Resource | Policy FNS Instruction 113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement

The purpose of this Instruction and TEFAP program guidance is to establish and convey policy and provide guidance and direction to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service and its recipients and customers, and ensure compliance with and enforcement of the prohibition against discrimination in all FNS nutrition programs and activities, whether federally funded in whole or not. 

11/08/2005
Page updated: October 14, 2021