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Resource | Policy Standard Utility Allowances

States annually update Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) to reflect changes in utility costs. When determining a household’s eligibility, states consider a household’s total shelter costs, including the cost of utilities. Since actual utility costs are often hard to determine, states can use SUAs, which are standard amounts that represent low-income household utility costs in the state or local area. SUAs may be used in lieu of the household's actual costs when determining eligibility and benefit amount.

10/01/2023
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2021-0073 FD-40: Inventory Draw Down in USDA Foods Processing (Revised)

This memorandum provides clarification on the value pass through methods available under 7 CFR 250.36 and on the timing of processor inventory reductions of USDA Foods under each system.

FD-40: Processing
07/16/2021
Resource | Comment Request Comment Request - SNAP State Agency Options for Standard Utility Allowances and Self-Employment Income

This information collection addresses the state agency reporting burden associated with the following state agency options under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Establishing and reviewing standard utility allowances (SUAs) and establishing methodology for offsetting cost of producing self-employment income.

10/25/2019
Resource | Proposed Rule Proposed Rule: SNAP Standardization of State Heating and Cooling Standard Utility Allowances

The proposed rule would revise SNAP regulations to standardize the methodology for calculating standard utility allowances. 

10/03/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0029 Management of Donated Food Inventories at Processors

This memorandum addresses inventory limitations and requirements that USDA Foods processors must follow when manufacturing processed end products for use in child nutrition programs.

FD-064
04/02/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0013 USDA Foods Processing Program: Cancellation of Policy Memoranda

In order to update and streamline policy guidance for the USDA Foods Processing Program, FNS is cancelling policy memoranda FD-009, FD-025, FD-130, FD-102, FD-030, FD-038, FD-048, FD-103, and FD-108. The guidance provided by these memoranda is outdated and has been superseded by the Final Rule: Revisions and Clarifications in Requirements for the Processing of Donated Foods, which was published on May 1, 2018.

FD-145
02/27/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2018-0003 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. 

FD-144, SP04 SFSP01 CACFP04-2018
01/18/2018
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0015 Taking Food Components Offsite in the At-Risk Afterschool Component of CACFP

The purpose of this memorandum is to extend to the at-risk afterschool component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program the flexibility to take certain food items offsite.

CACFP10-2017
04/06/2017
Resource | Proposed Rule Proposed Rule: Revisions and Clarifications in Requirements for the Processing of Donated Foods

This rule proposes to revise and clarify requirements for the processing of donated foods in order to: Incorporate successful processing options tested in demonstration projects, ensure accountability for donated foods provided for processing, and increase program efficiency.

01/05/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0091 Signature Block Removal from Summary End Product Data Schedules

The purpose of this policy memorandum is to clarify state distributing agency (SDA) requirements related to approval of end product data schedules (EPDS) and summary end product data schedules (SEPDS) and provide an explanation for the removal of signature blocks from the SEPDS A and B templates.

FD-140
12/02/2016
Page updated: October 14, 2021