FNS Documents & Resources

The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 authorized a permanent, nationwide Summer EBT program beginning in 2024. The Act requires FNS to promulgate interim regulations within a year of the Act’s enactment. Interim regulations are effective upon publication and FNS will accept comments on the interim rule to inform subsequent rulemakings. 

The ongoing infant formula shortage due to supply chain issues, which worsened due to a major formula recall in February 2022, has left many CACFP operators concerned about access to formula and their options for safely feeding infants in their care.  

FNS has used its authority under FFRCA to waive certain onsite monitoring requirements for the school meals programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, so that programs can to maintain program integrity and support social distancing while providing meals. 

FNS waives, for all states, the requirements to serve SFSP and NSLP Seamless Summer Option meals that meet the meal pattern requirements during the public health emergency due to COVID–19. This waiver extends the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Summer Food Service Program – Extension 7, granted on Aug. 31, 2020, that expires on Dec. 31, 2020.

This waiver extends the nationwide waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children - Extension, granted on May 14, 2020 until Sept. 30, 2020, or for the duration of summer operations, whichever is earlier. This waiver extension applies to the NSLP Seamless Summer Option and the SFSP.

FNS is granting a nationwide waiver of the 60-day reporting requirements to help minimize potential exposure to the novel coronavirus. This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, Child and Adult Food Care Program and Summer Food Service Program.

FNS is establishing a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID–19). This waiver applies to the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option.

FNS is cancelling Policy Memoranda FD-010, FD-027, FD-028, FD-029, FD-032, FD-053, FD-055, FD-071, FD-073, FD-074, FD-083, FD-086, FD-087, FD-090, FD-105, and FD-115. The guidance provided by these memoranda are either outdated, obsolete, or otherwise captured in more current memoranda.

This memorandum revises the current USDA Food and Nutrition Service process for state agencies and eligible service providers seeking a waiver of statutory or regulatory program requirements for the child nutrition programs, including the CACFP, the SFSP, the NSLP, the FFVP, the SMP, and the SBP. 

This policy memorandum is the result of activities undertaken to plan a government-wide response to a potential human pandemic and addresses the operation of its USDA food programs during a major pandemic event.