FNS Documents & Resources

This rule proposes to amend the regulations governing procedures related to the procurement of goods and services in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and Special Milk Program to remedy deficiencies identified in audits and program reviews.

We received a question as to how to treat disaster relief employment income received from a National Emergency Grant.

This final rule makes a technical change to the regulations governing the nutrient analysis of meals served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.

The National School Lunch Program regulations are revised to require that schools offer, with meals, fluid milk in a variety of fat contents.

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. The nutritional bases of the Food Plans are the 1997-2005 Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2005 MyPyramid food intake recommendations. In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. For specific foods and quantities of foods in the Food Plans, see Thrifty Food Plan, 2006 (2007) and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007 (2007). All four Food Plans are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index for specific food items.

We have been asked whether to adopt for food stamp benefit purposes the $48.17 average cost for prescription drug purchases that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) calculated. The answer is yes, with some caveats. We have prepared two new Q&As to outline how this should work.

This report presents historical data on the nutrient content of the U.S. food supply. The data and trends presented in this report are invaluable for monitoring the potential of the food supply to meet nutritional needs; for examining relationships between food supplies, diet, and health; and for examining dietary trends of Americans.

This memorandum is in response to questions raised by the Connecticut state agency.

Several data sources, including information on free and reduced price eligibility status changed as a result of verification, indicate that there is a significant problem with inaccurate certifications for free/reduced price meal benefits in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Therefore, it is imperative that both state agencies and FNS make every effort to validate the accuracy of eligibility determinations.

The changes in this interim rule are primarily designed to improve Program operations and monitoring at the state and institution levels and, where possible, to streamline and simplify Program requirements for state agencies and institutions.