USDA is issuing this notice of proposed rulemaking to improve SNAP's quality control system as required in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.
USDA proposes to remove barriers to online ordering and internet-based transactions in WIC through this rulemaking.
This rulemaking proposes to revise regulations governing the WIC food packages to align them with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and reflect recommendations made by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in its 2017 report, “Review of WIC Food Packages: Improving Balance and Choice. while promoting nutrition security and equity and taking into account program administration considerations.
This document contains a correction to a proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on June 27, 2022. The rule proposes to revise SNAP regulations that cover the collection and reporting of race and ethnicity data by state agencies on persons receiving benefits from SNAP.
FNS proposes to revise SNA regulations that cover the collection and reporting of race and ethnicity data by state agencies on persons receiving benefits from SNAP.
The proposed rule would implement the changes made by section 4005 of The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the Act) to SNAP pertaining to the Employment and Training program and aspects of the work requirement for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). In general, these changes are related to strengthening the SNAP E&T program, adding workforce partnerships as a way for SNAP participants to meet their work requirements, and modifying the work requirement for ABAWDs.
USDA proposes updating the regulations to refine categorical eligibility requirements based on receipt of TANF benefits. Specifically, the Department proposes: (1) to define “benefits” for categorical eligibility to mean ongoing and substantial benefits; and (2) to limit the types of non-cash TANF benefits conferring categorical eligibility to those that focus on subsidized employment, work supports and childcare. The proposed rule would also require state agencies to inform FNS of all non-cash TANF benefits that confer categorical eligibility.
The proposed rule would revise SNAP regulations to standardize the methodology for calculating standard utility allowances.
FNS proposes to make changes to SNAP regulations pertaining to the eligibility of certain SNAP retail food stores. These proposed changes are in response to the Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2017 and 2018, which prohibited the USDA from implementing two retailer stocking provisions (the “Breadth of Stock” provision and the “Definition of `Variety' ” provision) of the 2016 final rule titled, “Enhancing Retailer Standards in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)”, until such a time as regulatory modifications to the definition of “variety” are made that would increase the number of food items that count as acceptable staple food varieties for purposes of SNAP retailer eligibility.
The proposed rule would encourage broader application of the statutory ABAWD work requirement, consistent with the Administration's focus on fostering self-sufficiency.