Skip to main content
Resource | Federal Register Notices Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2026 - 2027)

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, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

04/09/2026
Resource | Policy Comment Request: State Administrative Expense Funds

This is a reinstatement, with change, of a previously approved collection for which approval has expired.

03/16/2026
Resource | Policy The Emergency Food Assistance Program - Income Eligibility Guidelines for 2026

This TEFAP program guidance memorandum transmits the 2026 income guidelines for state agencies and tribes in determining the eligibility of individuals applying to participate in TEFAP.

02/10/2026
Resource | Guidance Documents FY 2026 Food and Administrative Funding for TEFAP

Fiscal year 2026 food and administrative funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program.

02/05/2026
Resource | Guidance Documents TEFAP – State Plan Requests and Allocations for FY 26 Farm to Food Bank Projects

This memorandum announces the availability of $8 million for TEFAP Farm to Food Bank projects in fiscal year 2026 and provides guidance to TEFAP state agencies on how to submit TEFAP state plan amendments to implement FY 2026 projects.

01/08/2026
Resource | Policy National School Lunch, Special Milk, and School Breakfast Programs, National Average Payments/Maximum Reimbursement Rates SY 2025-26

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.

07/24/2025
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 | Policy Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2025-2026)

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, 2025 through June 30, 2026. 

03/13/2025
Basic page TEFAP Income Guidelines

This page lists the income guidelines for state agencies to use in determining the eligibility of households to receive USDA Foods for home consumption in TEFAP.

03/11/2025
Page updated: October 14, 2021