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Resource | Federal Register Notices Final Rule: Simplified Geographic Preference Procurement in Child Nutrition Programs

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.

09/08/2026
Resource | Policy Memos Letter from Secretary Rollins - Child Nutrition Programs

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.

08/24/2026
Resource | Guidance Documents Harvest to Hallways - Resources for Procuring Local Foods in School Year 2026-2027

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. 

08/24/2026
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 Geographic Preference Expansion Related to the Final Rule - Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 DGAs

This memorandum provides a detailed explanation of the expanded geographic preference option. 

05/22/2024
Resource | Guidance Documents Procuring Local Meat, Poultry, Game and Eggs for Child Nutrition Programs

Recently, FNA has received a number of questions related to buying local meat, poultry, game, and eggs; this memorandum seeks to clarify the regulatory requirements related to food safety and answer specific questions related to these products with a series of questions and answers.

11/20/2023
Resource | Policy Updates to the Federal Micro-Purchase Threshold in 2 CFR 200.320(a)(1)

The previous version of this memorandum contained incorrect references to state agencies throughout. FNA is correcting this memorandum to remove the incorrect references and so that it more clearly and accurately reflects the federal regulations. This memorandum notifies state agencies and child nutrition program operators of the changes made by OMB to the federal informal procurement method, micro-purchases and the micro-purchase threshold.

12/15/2021
Resource | Guidance Documents Market Basket Analysis when Procuring Program Goods and Modifying Contracted-For Product Lists

This memorandum provides guidance to state distributing agencies and recipient agencies on the use of market basket analysis in procuring processed end products for USDA Foods in Schools and commercial goods for the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program. 

01/18/2018
Resource | Policy Value of USDA Donated Foods for Audits: Revised

The purpose of this audit guidance policy memorandum is to clarify the options available to state distributing agencies or recipient agencies in assigning value to USDA donated foods for audit purposes.

12/02/2016
Resource | Guidance Documents Q&A: Purchasing Goods and Services Using Cooperative Agreements, Agents, and Third-Party Services

This memorandum provides general guidance on the various procurement groups FNA has identified, how to use each group in a way that complies with federal procurement standards, and supersedes SP 35-2012, Procuring Services of Purchasing Cooperatives, Group Purchasing Organizations, Group Buying Organizations, etc., dated June 12, 2012.

10/19/2016
Page updated: June 02, 2026