We published the direct final rule with comment period, Simplified Geographic Preference Procurement in Child Nutrition Programs (91 FR 57245), effective Nov. 9, 2026.
This direct final rule amends geographic preference option language in National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Program, and Summer Food Service Program regulations.
These briefs share the findings from the USDA School Food Preparation Study.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins writes 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.
The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any U.S. Department of Agriculture 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 various resources available to help child nutrition program operators procure local foods.
We provided $60 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to improve food and agriculture supply chain resiliency for 54 state agencies that administer the National School Lunch Program. Use this dashboard to explore successes implemented by each state and territory.
The Annual Survey of School Food Authorities: School Year 2024-25 report includes findings from the fourth survey in this series on SFA supply chain disruptions.
This webinar shares the available support resources on how to complete grant setup steps and upcoming trainings to help farm to school grantees set up their projects.
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.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking states and food service companies, with the support of school food authorities, to pledge to make school meals and snack programs healthier.