This guidance describes $1 billion being provided by FNS to enhance local school districts’ ability to purchase foods for school meals by offering resources needed to address supply chain challenges directly to schools and school districts.
To help schools deal with supply chain challenges brought on by the pandemic, USDA is providing up to: $1 billion in Supply Chain Assistance funds for schools to purchase food for their meal programs, $300 million for states to purchase USDA Foods to distribute to schools, and $200 million for cooperative agreements to purchase local foods for schools, focusing on historically underused producers.
FNS is seeking public comment on its intent to ask the Office of Management and Budget to extend approval of the information collection under OMB approval #0584-0654 from Jan. 31, 2022 until Aug. 27, 2023.
The previous version of this memorandum contained incorrect references to state agencies throughout. FNS is correcting this memorandum to remove the incorrect references and so that it more clearly and accurately reflects the federal regulations. This memorandum notifies state agencies and child nutrition program operators of the changes made by OMB to the federal informal procurement method, micro-purchases and the micro-purchase threshold.
The National Survey of WIC Participants (NSWP) study series is designed to describe state and local agency characteristics, examine participants’ characteristics, assess participants’ experiences with WIC, and estimate improper payments resulting from certification errors in WIC. The study is conducted approximately every 10 years, and the current study is the third iteration (NSWP-III) in the series.
The following report addresses actions taken by FNS to comply with the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 which directed USDA to establish a Task Force to study measures to streamline the redemption of WIC benefits in a manner that promotes convenience, safety, and equitable access to WIC supplemental foods for participants in the WIC program.
The Further Extending Government Funding Act of 2022 directs USDA to extend through the second quarter of fiscal year 2022 the temporary increase in the WIC Cash-Value Voucher/Benefit for fruit and vegetable purchases. The increased amount applies to all women and children participants and aligns with recommendations by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.
This study examined the processes, procedures, and effectiveness of a second, independent review of applications for certain local education agencies under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The requirement, which was first implemented in School Year 2014-15, is intended to reduce administrative certification error in LEA processing of household applications.
USDA Foods in Schools product information sheets containing USDA Foods description and WBSCM ID for grains.
A resource on preserving locally harvested produce in school meals includes information about facility and personnel considerations and product flow and handling.