FNS Documents & Resources

This memorandum addresses certain questions arising from FNS publication of new negative action quality control procedures. On June 11, 2010, FNS published in final the rule entitled "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Quality Control Provisions of Title IV of PL 107-171." The rules affecting negative action quality control reviews were to be implemented effective Oct. 1, 2011.

This memo is in response to questions raised through Quality Control reviews related to student eligibility for SNAP benefits. Section 6(e) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and federal regulations at 7 CFR 273.5(a) prohibit students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education from receiving SNAP benefits unless specific exemptions are met.

This policy applies to all TANF-funded subsidized employment paid to SNAP clients or applicants in the form of wages, regardless of the source of TANF funding, including but not limited to funds available to states and Indian tribes through the Emergency Contingency Fund for state TANF programs.

FNS staff is working on making improvements to the QC process. One of the major components of the improvements that we are working towards is the development of a paperless work environment for both state and federal QC staff.

It has come to our attention that there is confusion over the Quality Control application of the certification policy that allows state agencies to disallow deductions when the households fails to provide requested verification or fails to report an expense after being advised that failure to do so would result in the loss of a deduction.

The following policy memoranda are superseded by revisions to the FNS 310 Handbook and are now obsolete. At the end of the memos being cancelled is a list of the current QC policy Memos.

The purpose of this policy memo is to notify state agencies of the specific record retention requirements for recent QC review periods. As required by regulations, QC records must be retained for three years following fiscal closure

This rule proposes to amend the Food Stamp Program regulations to implement certain discretionary provisions concerning the quality control system in Sections 4118 and 4119 of the Food Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2002.

FDD has received several complaints recently about dried fruit and grain products that became infested in storage. Therefore, it is imperative that dried fruit and grain products are distributed to the end user as soon as possible after receipt from the vendor to avoid problems with infestation.