FNS Documents & Resources

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk for the period from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

This memorandum provides guidance and clarification regarding individual income eligibility determinations and duration in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program.

The purpose of this memo is to clarify Smart Snacks standards for exempt foods that are paired together as a single snack.

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.

This memorandum addresses inquiries regarding flexibility in determining the effective date of eligibility for students who are directly certified to receive free meals or free milk in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program.

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.

Section 4 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act provides general cash for food assistance payments to states to assist schools in purchasing food. The NSLA provides two different section 4 payment levels for lunches served under the NSLP.