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 Received 3/24/2020 | Initial Approval 3/27/2020 | 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 | May Extension Approved
Pandemic EBT
- Pandemic EBT program during School Year 2019-2020
Approved 4/16/2020- Pandemic EBT program during School Year 2020-2021
P-EBT School Programs Plan | Plan Approval 2/1/2021
P-EBT Child Care Programs Plan | Plan Approval 3/24/2021
Application Processing
- Extended Certification Periods; Waive Periodic Reporting
Initial Request Received 3/27/2020 | Initial Request Approved 3/30/2020
July Extension Request 6/10/2020 | July Extension Denial 6/28/2020
July Extension 2 Request 7/27/2020 | July Extension 2 Approval 7/27/2020
August Extension Request 7/27/2020 | August Extension Approval 7/27/2020
September Extension Request | September Extension Denial 8/14/2020- 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 States 3/26/2020 | June Extension Approved
- Waive Initial and Recertification Interviews
July Extension Request 6/12/2020 | July Extension Denial 6/28/2020
July Extension 2 Request 7/21/2020 | July Extension 2 Approval 7/22/2020
August Extension Request 7/21/2020 | August Extension Approval 7/22/2020
September Extension Request 8/10/2020 | September Extension Denial 8/14/2020- Telephonic Signature
Initial Request Received 8/14/2020 | Approved 8/14/2020 | January 2021 Extension Approved | February Extension Approved | March Extension Approved | April Extension Approved | May Extension Approved- Suspend In-Person Application Submission; Suspend In-Person Verification Submission
May Extension Approved- Continuing Resolution
North Carolina has taken options in accordance with the Continuing Resolution. Click here for more information.
Claims
- Temporary Suspension of Claims Collection
Approved 4/13/2020 | June Extension | July Extension | August Extension | November Extension | December Extension | January 2021 Extension | February Extension | March Extension | April Extension | May Extension- Suspend Claim Collection
Received 3/26/2020 | Approved 4/10/2020
Fair Hearing
- Waive Fair Hearing Timelines
Approved 4/13/2020 | June Extension | July Extension | November Extension | December Extension | January 2021 Extension | February Extension | March Extension | April Extension | May Extension
Quality Control
- QC Case Review Extension
Offered to All States 3/19/2020 | Offered for All States for June Cases 9/02/2020- SNAP Flexibility for Quality Control Interviews
Offered to All States 3/13/2020 | June Extension Approved- Suspend Face to Face QC Interviews
Offered to all States 8/31/2020- Due Date Extension for June 2020 Case Reviews
Offered to All States 9/2/2020
Other
- Extend Administrative Disqualification Hearings (ADH) Timeframes
Received 6/18/2020 | Approved 7/15/2020 | November Extension | December Extension | January 2021 Extension | March Extension | April Extension | May Extension- Suspend Student Eligibility Rules
Received 3/23/2020 | Mass Denial 4/10/2020
Child Nutrition Programs
Nationwide Waivers and Flexibilities
- Meal Times
Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Approved for 2020-21 School Year 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended in SFSP/SSO through June 2021- Non-congregate Feeding
Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Approved for 2020-21 School Year 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended in SFSP/SSO through June 2021- Nationwide Meal Pattern Waiver
Offered to All States 3/25/2020 | Extended through July 31 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Extended through December 31
- Approved for School, After-school and Day Care Programs for 2020-21 School Year 6/25/2020 | Extended in School After-School and Day Care Programs through June 2021- Nationwide Parent/Guardian Meal Pickup Waiver
Offered to All States 3/25/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Approved for 2020-21 School Year 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- Offer Versus Serve Flexibility for Senior High Schools for the School Year 2020-21
Nationwide Waiver Issued 6/25/2020- Afterschool Activity
Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020- Nationwide Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Data Waiver
Offered to All States 3/25/2020- SFSP/SSO Area Eligibility Waiver
Approved 3/30/2020 | 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 States 4/1/2020- CACFP Sponsor Monitoring Requirements Waiver
Offered to All States 3/28/2020- Food Service Management Company Contract
Offered to All States 4/24/2020 | Extended through June 2021- Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment
Offered to All States 4/23/2020- Extended Unanticipated School Closures
Offered to All States 4/27/2020- SFSP/SSO Meal Service Times (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/21/2020- SFSP/SSO Closed Enrolled Sites (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/21/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP Offer Versus Serve (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/21/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP First Week Site Visits (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/21/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- FMNP Monitoring
Approved 8/19/2020- Pre-approval Flexibility
Offered to All States 9/11/2020 | Extended through June 2021- Nationwide At-risk Afterschool Area Eligibility Waiver
Nationwide Waiver issued 9/18/2020 | 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- CACFP FRP Eligibility Annual Update
Approved 6/9/2020 | Extended through April 2021- Oversight Plan Waiver
Waiver Response 2/2/2021 | Waiver Response 3/31/2021
USDA Foods Programs
WIC Program
- Extension of Approved Waivers
Extended through June 30 | Extension 2 | Extension 3- Compliance Investigations
Approved 4/2/2020- Extended Certification
FNS Response 4/17/2020- FMNP Monitoring
Approved 4/22/2020- FMNP Monitoring
Approved 5/28/2020- FMNP Training
Approved 4/22/2020- Food Package Substitutions Waiver
Approved 3/26/2020- Minimum Stock Requirements
Approved 9/28/2020- Physical Presence Waiver (includes lab work)
Approved 3/21/2020- Remote Benefit Issuance Waiver
Approved 3/25/2020- Transaction without Presence of Cashier
Approved 9/28/2020- Vendor Compliance Investigations Annual
Approved- Vendor Onsite Preauthorization Visit
Approved 9/28/2020- Vendor Onsite Routine Monitoring
Approved 9/28/2020