FNS Documents & Resources

This rule proposes to amend provisions of the Food Distribution Program regulations and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) regulations to implement the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, commonly known as Welfare Reform, while generally streamlining and clarifying these regulations.

This notice announces the Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) intent to continue a demonstration project to test program changes designed to improve the state processing of donated poultry by allowing the substitution of donated poultry supplied by the Department of Agriculture (the Department) with commercial poultry.

The Department announces adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by state agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate in the WIC program. These income eligibility guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the WIC regulations.

This proposed rule would implement provisions of the Food Stamp Program Improvements Act of 1994 to revise the criteria for eligibility of firms to participate in the Food Stamp Program as retail food stores, and to provide for notification to such firms of eligibility criteria for participation in the FSP.

This proposed rule would strengthen the requirements for operation of vendor management systems by establishing mandatory selection criteria; limitation of vendors; training requirements; criteria to be used to identify high- risk vendors; and monitoring requirements, including compliance buys. In addition, the rule would strengthen food instrument accountability and sanctions for participants who violate program regulations. It would also streamline the vendor appeals process.

This rule proposes to implement the Electronic Benefit Transfer provisions found in Section 825 of this law which affect the Food Stamp Program.

The Department of Justice is publishing a proposed rule in this issue of the Federal Register which proposes to establish clear standards governing a determination that an alien is inadmissible or ineligible to adjust status, or has become deportable, on public charge grounds. Before the proposed rule becomes final, the Immigration and Naturalization Service is publishing its field guidance on public charge issues as an attachment to this notice. 

The purpose of this notice is to update for fiscal year 1999 the maximum allotment levels, which are the basis for determining the amount of food stamps which participating households receive and the gross and net income limits for food stamp eligibility.

By this notice, USDA is updating for fiscal year 1999 the maximum food stamp allotments for participating households in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands. These annual adjustments, required by law, take into account changes in the cost of food and statutory adjustments since the amounts were last calculated.

The purpose of this final rule is to implement the Food Stamp Program retailer provisions included in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, as well as the retailer provision included in the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act.