USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.
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 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 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 The guidance provided by these memoranda are either outdated, obsolete, or otherwise captured in more current memoranda.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 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.
Recently, we have received numerous concerns regarding the improper application of the new procurement rule, Procurement Requirements for the National School Lunch, School Breakfast and Special Milk Program, which was published in the Federal Register on Oct. 31, 2007 and became effective on Nov. 30, 2007.