FNS Documents & Resources

USDA’s goal across all summer nutrition programs is simple: Connect children with nutritious food during the summer months to help them grow and thrive. The interim final rule published this week is an important step forward in increasing access to these services

Through this rulemaking, FNS aims to improve the quality of race and ethnicity data collected and to ensure program benefits are distributed without regard to race, color, or national origin.

This rulemaking serves to amend WIC program regulations by incorporating provisions of the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 and making related amendments.

With this final rule, FNS is revising Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program regulations that cover collecting and reporting race and ethnicity data by state agencies on persons receiving benefits from SNAP. 

This collection is an extension of a currently approved collection. This information collection addresses the recordkeeping burden associated with forms FNS–292A (Report of Commodity Distribution for Disaster Relief) and FNS–292B (Report of Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefit Issuance).

This memorandum provides information about the approximately $943 million in additional support for emergency food programs that USDA is providing in fiscal year 2024 under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act for distribution through TEFAP.

The Operational Challenges in Child Nutrition Programs surveys, are designed to collect timely data on emerging school food service operational challenges, including but not limited to supply chain disruptions, food costs, and labor shortages, and/or related issues.

Through ARPA, USDA received waiver authority to support WIC and FMNP outreach, innovation, and modernization. Waivers are currently available to support WIC online shopping and ARPA funded projects.

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. 

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 authorized a permanent, nationwide Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) Program beginning in 2024. This memorandum: (1) provides information to assist states, ITOs, and territories in preparing to implement Summer EBT in 2024; (2) applies to states, ITOs, and territories that elect to administer the Summer EBT Program and administering agencies therein; and (3) relates to requirements under section 13A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.