This rule will implement two food stamp provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
Interest, research, and expenditures on dietary supplements are growing very fast. Americans spent $8.2 billion in 1995 for vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals, and sports nutrition products. About half of all Americans reported at least some use of vitamins and minerals in response to recent surveys. The general goal of the study is to examine existing data that bear on a diverse set of pertinent issues.
In the past, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has relied on a series of large surveys to gather and compare information on food expenditures and food consumption among participants and non-participants to better understand the impacts of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) on the diet and nutritional status of program participants. Studies based on survey data, however, have a number of drawbacks, including the time and expense of collecting the survey data, sampling error, response bias, errors in respondent recall, and misinformation about what may have been purchased or consumed.
One activity that reflects USDA’s commitment to nutrition promotion is the development of state nutrition networks. Since October 1995, FNS has awarded cooperative agreements to 22 states to create nutrition networks that would develop innovative, large-scale and sustainable approaches to providing nutrition education to low-income families that participate or are eligible to participate in the Food Stamp Program.
This final rule addresses significant comments received in response to the regulatory changes proposed in the proposed rule and finalizes regulatory changes to the Food Stamp Program’s quality control system in the following areas: negative case reviews, state agency minimum sample sizes for active and negative case reviews, state sampling procedures, federal subsample size formulas, error dollar tolerance level, home visits, case completion standards, and miscellaneous technical corrections.
This memo clarifies that any time all members of a household receive benefits under a program for needy families funded primarily through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, whether cash or other benefits such as services, the TANF resource rules apply and thus an income eligible working family can both own a car and obtain food stamps.
As you know, Food and Nutrition Service has been working closely with our many partners and stakeholders to improve service to working families. We are pleased to announce the Administration’s approval of an Agency policy initiative which will enhance program access for low-income working families.
On Aug. 22, 1996, the President signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. This rule proposes to amend the Food Stamp Program Regulations to implement the non-discretionary provisions of this law which affect the Food Stamp Program.
This report represents the final evaluation of 26 research demonstration projects authorized under PL 101-264, entitled the "Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act" of 1990.
In this report, data from the NFSPS are used to address several important questions concerning food store access of low-income households, including: (1) At what kinds of stores do low-income households shop? (2) What distances do low-income households travel to reach those stores? (3) What transportation methods do they use to reach their food stores? (4) Do low-income households engage in careful shopping behaviors that can allow them to get the most out of the money and food stamp benefits they spend on food? and (5) In general, how satisfied are low-income Americans with their shopping opportunities?