FNS Documents & Resources

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.

In response to the President’s Executive Order on Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic issued on Jan. 22, 2021, which directed all federal agencies to consider administrative actions to better address the current economic crisis resulting from the pandemic, USDA reviewed and updated the SNAP EA guidance.

In an effort to make the distribution of P-EBT benefits to eligible children as efficient as possible, USDA has developed a simple P-EBT summer plan template. The template allows states to elect a USDA-determined standard benefit that relieves states of the burden of determining their own benefit levels based on state-specific school district calendars.

The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (PL 116-159) extends Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) through the end of September 2021. That means that P-EBT is now available for all of school year 2020-2021.

FNS published the SNAP: P-EBT Integrity Final Rule which requires FNS to treat P-EBT benefits the same as SNAP benefits for the purposes of identifying and sanctioning program violators.

FNS is issuing the attached set of questions and answers to address inquiries received about the implementation of SNAP-Ed in response to COVID-19.

The Food and Nutrition Service is issuing the attached set of questions and answers to address inquiries received about the implementation of the April 30, 2020, waiver of March, April and May 2020 SNAP QC reviews. 

Questions and Answers for SNAP state agencies related to the reporting of Pandemic EBT and SNAP Emergency Allotments

This is the second set of questions and answers for SNAP state agencies in response to questions received about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and flexibilities available for program administration during the COVID-19 public health emergency.