FNS Documents & Resources

This memorandum informs stakeholders on the progress made by FNS in updating the food crediting system for all child nutrition programs. This is a first step towards improving the crediting system to best address today’s evolving food and nutrition environment and meet the needs of those operating and benefiting from the CNPs.

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.

This memorandum provided information regarding the updated Administrative Review Manual, Forms and Tools for School Year 2018-19 to include the updated Fiscal Action Process and Workbook. Currently, regulations requires state agencies to take fiscal action for all Performance Standard 1 violations and Specific Performance Standard 2 violations identified during an administrative review.

FNS is pleased to announce the release of the fiscal year 2019 request for applications to invite state agencies that administer the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs to apply for FY 2019 Administrative Review and Training Grants.

FNS is pleased to announce the release of the RFA for Child Nutrition Technology Innovation Grants. Funds will be available on a competitive basis to state agencies administering the child nutrition programs.

The CACFP helps institutions and facilities serve well-balanced, nutritious meals to the participants in their care and this handbook provides details for administering the CACFP.

The Food and Nutrition Service is issuing this memorandum in response to questions about state agency responsibilities relating to D-SNAP. The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act provides the Secretary of Agriculture with the authority to operate a D-SNAP when affected areas have received a Presidential major disaster declaration and when commercial channels of food distribution are available.

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) along with other child nutrition programs (CNPs) administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) make it possible for schools to serve wholesome and appealing meals to students each day.

Under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the USDA is administering a Trade Mitigation Food Purchase and Distribution Program to purchase up to $1.2 billion in USDA Foods.

This report highlights farm to school program trends and best practices from fiscal year 2015 and 2016 farm to school grantees. This report also features baseline data provided by grantees which is used to assess the impact of the grant program on the growth of the farm to school movement nationwide.