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.

This memorandum provides notice to child nutrition program operators that the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 allows the substitution of vegetables for fruits under the school breakfast program; prohibits funds from being used to procure raw or processed poultry products from the People’s Republic of China; provides guidance related to pricing of paid lunches for the school lunch program during SY 2021-2022; and allows the offering of low-fat (1% fat) flavored milk in the school lunch and school breakfast programs.

FNS waives, for all states, the requirements to serve meals that meet specified meal pattern requirements during the public health emergency due to COVID–19. This waiver applies to state agencies administering and local organizations operating the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. These flexibilities also apply to the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option.

This memo announces a new suite of child nutrition program nationwide waivers and flexibilities to support a successful school reopening in school year 2021-2022.

FNS waives, for all state agencies and school food authorities, school meal programs onsite monitoring requirements. This waiver extends the Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements in the School Meals Programs – Revised – Extension 2 granted on Aug. 4, 2020 that expires on June 30, 2021. 

This waiver allows schools and at-risk afterschool care centers, regardless of their location, to claim all National School Lunch Program Afterschool Snack Service and Child and Adult Care Food Program At-risk Afterschool Program meals and snacks at the free rate. This waiver also allows day care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program to claim all meals served to enrolled children at the Tier 1 rate, regardless of their location.

Under this waiver, National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program operators in states that elect to be subject to this waiver may provide non-congregate meals during COVID–19 operations. 

This waiver allows school food authorities to claim National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option meals and snacks at the Summer Food Service Program reimbursement rates. This waiver applies to state agencies administering, and local organizations operating, the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option in school year 2021-2022. 

CN numbers that appear on the valid list apply to the CN logo and crediting statement only. It is the manufacturer's responsibility to ensure that the product label meets all over federal labeling requirements.

FNS is establishing a targeted waiver, for all states and local educational agencies, to extend statutory and regulatory deadlines relating to Community Eligibility Provision reporting and election during the public health emergency due to COVID–19.