FNS Documents & Resources

This report is a census of women, infants, and children who were participating in the WIC program in April, 2012. The report includes information on participant income and nutrition risk characteristics, and estimates breastfeeding initiation rates for WIC infants.

This report responds to the requirement of PL 110-246 to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to directly certify children for free school meals. Direct certification is a process conducted by the states and by local educational agencies to certify eligible children for free meals without the need for household applications.

The purpose of this memorandum is to remind state agencies that administer the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children of the federal WIC statutory and regulatory requirements for the authorization, issuance and rebate of infant formula in the WIC food packages.

This memorandum clarifies the flexibility available to local educational agency officials for establishing the effective date of eligibility for children certified for free or reduced price meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and free milk in the Special Milk Program based on household applications.

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. The nutritional bases of the Food Plans are the 1997-2005 Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2005 MyPyramid food intake recommendations. In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. For specific foods and quantities of foods in the Food Plans, see Thrifty Food Plan, 2006 (2007) and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007 (2007). All four Food Plans are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index for specific food items.

This study is part of a larger FNS effort to ensure WIC program integrity and to comply with the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 which requires FNS to estimate improper payments in its programs.

SFMNP Grant Levels for Participating State Agencies - FY 2009-2013

The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify and provide guidance on requirements in the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option of the National School Lunch Program related to expanding awareness and access to these programs. This memorandum also highlights resources available to states and sponsors for conducting their required expansion efforts.

This memorandum highlights existing flexibilities available to CACFP institutions to simplify their participation in SFSP.