USDA intends to use all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve our program participants across our 15 nutrition programs. We have already begun to issue waivers to ease program operations and protect the health of participants.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Emergency Allotments
Request Received3/27/2020 | Initial Approval3/28/2020 | May Extension Approved | June Extension Approved | July Extension Approved | August Extension Approved | September Extension Approved | October Extension Approved | November Extension Approved | December Extension Approved | January 2021 Extension Approved | February Extension Approved | March Extension Approved | April Extension Approved
Pandemic EBT
- Pandemic EBT program during School Year 2019-2020
Approved 5/5/2020- Pandemic EBT program during School Year 2020-2021
P-EBT Child Nutrition Programs Combined Plan | Plan Approval 4/22/2021
Application Processing
- Extended Certification Periods; Waive Periodic Reporting
Initial Request Received3/13/2020 | Initial Request Approved3/20/2020 |June Extension Approval- Adjustment to Interview Requirements
Note: Approvals for April through June included waiving initial and recertification interviews, waiving face-to-face interviews, and postponing expedited service interviews.
Offered to All States3/26/2020| June Extension Approved
- Waive Initial and Recertification Interviews
July Extension Request 7/22/2020 |July Extension Approval 7/22/2020
August Extension Request 7/22/2020 |August Extension Approval 7/22/2020
- Telephonic Signature
Initial Request Received3/25/2020 | Approved3/27/2020 |June Extension Approved | July Extension Approved | August Extension Approved- Continuing Resolution
Maine has taken options in accordance with the Continuing Resolution. Click here for more information.
Fair Hearing
- Waive Fair Hearing Timelines
Approved4/13/2020 |June Extension Approved
Quality Control
- QC Case Review Extension
Offered to All States3/19/2020| Offered for All States for June Cases 9/02/2020- SNAP Flexibility for Quality Control Interviews
Offered to All States3/13/2020 | June Extension Approved- Suspend Face to Face QC Interviews
Offered to all States 8/31/2020
Other
- Adjust Verification Requirements
Received3/19/2020 | Mass Denial 4/10/2020
Child Nutrition Programs
Nationwide Waivers and Flexibilities
- Meal Times
Nationwide Waiver issued3/20/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Approved for 2020-2021 School Year6/25/2020|Extended through December 31 | Extended in SFSP/SSO through June 2021- Non-congregate Feeding
Nationwide Waiver issued3/20/2020 |Extended through May 31 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 |Approved for 2020-2021 School Year6/25/2020 |Extended through December 31 | Extended in SFSP/SSO through June 2021- Nationwide Meal Pattern Waiver
Offered to All States3/25/2020| Extended through May 31 | Extended through June30 | Extended through July 31 | Extended through August31 | Extended through September 30 | Extended through December 31
- Approved for School, After-school and Day Care Programs for 2020-2021 School Year6/25/2020 |Extended in School After-School and Day Care Programs through June 2021- Nationwide Parent/Guardian Meal Pickup Waiver
Offered to All States3/25/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 |Approved for 2020-2021 School Year6/25/2020 |Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- Offer Versus Serve Flexibility for Senior High Schools for the School Year 2020-2021
Nationwide Waiver Issued6/25/2020- Afterschool Activity
Nationwide Waiver issued3/20/2020- Nationwide Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Data Waiver
Offered to All States3/25/2020- Nationwide Waivers of Child Nutrition Monitoring
Offered to All States3/25/2020 | Extension for Sponsors in CACFP | Extension for States in CACFP | Extensions for Schools | Extensions for Sponsors in SFSP | Extensions for States in SFSP | Extended through Aug 31- SFSP/SSO Area Eligibility Waiver
Offered to All States5/6/2020| Extended through Aug 31 | Extended through September 30 | Extended Through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP/SSO extension
Offered to All States 8/31/2020|Extended through June 2021- 60 Day Reporting Requirement Waiver
Offered to All States4/1/2020- CACFP State Agency Monitoring (Annual Review)
Offered to All States4/27/2020- Food Service Management Company Contract
Offered to All States4/27/2020 | Extended through June 2021- Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment
Offered to All States4/27/2020- Extended Unanticipated School Closures
Offered to All States4/30/2020- SFSP/SSO Meal Service Times (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States4/27/2020- SFSP/SSO Closed Enrolled Sites (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States4/27/2020|Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP Offer Versus Serve (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States5/1/2020 |Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP First Week Site Visits (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States6/1/2020 |Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- Pre-approval Flexibility
Offered to All States 9/11/2020|Extended through June 2021- Nationwide At-risk Afterschool Area Eligibility Waiver
Nationwide Waiver issued9/18/2020|Extended through June 2021- Nationwide Waiver for Selected Child Nutrition Program Reporting Requirements
Offered to All States 1/7/2021- Nationwide Waiver of Community Eligibility Provision Deadlines in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
Offered to All States 3/26/2021- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Sponsors that Successfully Participated in the Summer Food Service Program in FY 2019 to Operate as Experienced Sponsors in FY 2021
Offered to All States 4/1/2021
Additional Waivers and Flexibilities
- Pandemic EBT
See above under SNAP- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program at Alternate Sites
Approved 6/18/2020Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program at Alternate Sites SY 20-21
Approved8/19/2020Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Parent Pickup SY 20-21
Approved8/21/2020Provision 2 Base Year
Approved 7/30/2020Oversight Plan Waiver
Waiver Response 1/12/2021
USDA Foods Programs
- Entitlement Waiver for SY 2020-2021
Approved9/4/2020
WIC Program
- Extension of Approved Waivers
Extended through June 30 | Extension 2 | Extension 3- Food Package Substitutions Waiver (eggs)
Approved 4/2/2020- Local Agency Monitoring
Approved 6/15/2020- Physical Presence Waiver (includes lab work)
Approved 3/20/2020- Remote Benefit Issuance Waiver
Approved 3/23/2020;