FNS Documents & Resources

On April 25, 2024, FNS published the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This rule includes minor updates to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program to better align Child Nutrition Program requirements. These updates represent continued progress toward supporting the nutrition quality of school meals, strengthening the Child Nutrition Programs, and advancing USDA’s commitment to nutrition security. 

This memorandum provides notice to child nutrition program operators regarding Sections 739, 747, 748, 769, and 770 of Division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, enacted on March 9, 2024. This memorandum applies to state agencies administering, and local organizations operating, the federal CNPs.

With the revision, FNS will seek approval for the School Meals Operations (SMO) study to collect survey and administrative data about SY 2023-24 from a census of state agencies. The SMO study will not collect survey data about SY 2023-24 from school food authorities.

This rulemaking finalizes long-term school nutrition requirements based on the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, robust stakeholder input, and lessons learned from prior rulemakings.

This memorandum provides additional information regarding the provisions related to the frequency and number of reviews for state agencies monitoring the Child and Adult Care Food Program, that were codified in the Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule published on Aug.23, 2023. These provisions have a compliance date of Aug. 23, 2024.

This rulemaking proposes important modifications to make the application of serious deficiency procedures in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program consistent, effective, and in line with current requirements under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. 

This memorandum provides the information needed to conduct the FY 2024 reallocation of State Administrative Expense (SAE) funds.  All state agencies must submit an SAE Funds Reallocation Report (FNS-525) to their respective FNS regional office by March 1, 2024, even if the state agency is neither requesting nor returning funds.

Updated instructions for the state administrative expenses recovery process and SAE financial status report (FNS-777-SAE) for child nutrition programs.

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.

FNS is aware that schools in multiple states are experiencing milk supply chain challenges related to packaging issues. This memorandum provides state agencies with information about existing authority related to schools and other child nutrition program operators experiencing inadequate milk supply. FNS encourages state agencies to use this authority when needed to support program operators impacted by the current milk packaging challenges.