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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 Community Eligibility Provision: Election Deadline and Annual Notification and Publication Requirements

This memorandum is a reminder to state agencies and local educational agencies that the statutory deadline to elect the Community Eligibility Provision for the following school year is June 30. This memorandum also provides a reminder of the annual CEP notification and publication requirements.

03/13/2026
Resource | Policy Summer Food Service Program: 2026 Reimbursement Rates

This notice informs the public of the annual adjustments to the reimbursement rates for meals served in the Summer Food Service Program.

02/04/2026
Resource | Policy Interim Final Rule: NSLP and SBP - Elimination of the State Ameliorative Action Reporting Requirement for School Meals Eligibility Verification

Due to a technical problem with the docket that prevented comments from being accepted during part of the initial comment period, we are reopening the comment period for the interim final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on June 6, 2025. The rule rescinds an unnecessary reporting requirement for the school meals application verification process.

08/08/2025
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 Reimbursement for Off-Site Meal Consumption

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide clarification to state agencies and school food authorities operating the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program on reimbursement for meals consumed or served off site.

07/01/2025
Resource | Policy Paid Lunch Equity: Guidance for School Year 2025-2026

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance to state agencies and school food authorities on the paid lunch equity requirements for school year 2025-26.

05/14/2025
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
Page updated: October 14, 2021