FNS Documents & Resources

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 directed the Department of Agriculture to establish nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold to students on the school campus during the school day, including foods sold through school fundraisers.

This memorandum is to inform you that all foods of minimal nutritional value exemptions will end on June 30, 2014. Therefore, the attached list, Exemptions Under the Competitive Foods Regulation will become obsolete on July 1, 2014. Beginning July, 1, 2014, the interim final rule for Smart Snacks in School will go into effect for school year 2014-15. Therefore, any competitive foods and beverages must meet the nutrition standards specified in the interim final rule.

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance regarding the treatment of culinary education programs that operate in schools participating in the federal school meal programs.

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance regarding state agency responsibilities to establish limitations on the frequency of specially exempted fundraisers in schools.

The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify the status of grain-only items as entrées under the Interim Final Rule titled “National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010,” also known as the Smart Snacks in School rule.

This memorandum is to provide guidance on the verification process and reporting for categorically eligible foster children

The purpose of this proposed rule is to incorporate this procurement option in the programs' regulations and to define the term "unprocessed locally grown or locally raised agricultural products'' to ensure that both the intent of Congress in providing for such a procurement option is met and that any such definition will facilitate ease of implementation for institutions participating in the child nutrition programs.

This is a reminder of the statutory and regulatory requirements for categorical eligibility for the Child Nutrition Programs based on receipt of benefits from each state’s Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act restricts categorical eligibility to those TANF programs with standards that are comparable to or more restrictive than those in effect on June 1, 1995.

This memorandum modifies the policy related to categorical eligibility for free meals or free milk for children who are members of a household receiving assistance under SNAP, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations or the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program.

The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify state agency procedures for direct verification, especially concerning the use of Medicaid data.