The USDA Food and Nutrition Service conducts a variety of studies, evaluations, and related activities that respond to the needs of policymakers and managers and help ensure that nutrition assistance programs achieve their goals effectively. This plan provides short descriptions of projects that are expected to launch in fiscal year (FY) 2025.
It reflects decisions by FNS program and research staff and leadership on the best use of available research funding to meet current information needs that are aligned with agency priorities to improve program efficiency, integrity, and nutrition. FNS developed this plan in consultation with the agencies of the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Mission Area.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted school meal operations and has contributed to lasting supply chain issues affecting the cost and availability of food and labor. The School Food Authority Survey II on Supply Chain Disruption and Student Participation was administered to all SFAs operating child nutrition programs in schools to gather information on the impacts of continued supply chain disruptions and the return to standard operations during SY 2022–23.
USDA has established procedures to annually collect and publish the paid lunch prices charged by school food authorities.
The Child Nutrition Program Operations Study is a multiyear study series that provides the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service with current information on National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program policies, practices, and needs from state agencies and school food authorities. Specifically, it covers policies related to school nutrition service operations, financial management, meal counting, eligibility, nutrition standards, and personnel. Results inform child nutrition program management and policy development. This study in the series covers school year 2017–18.
This report presents statistics from the survey that cover household food security, food expenditures, and use of federal nutrition assistance programs in 2021.
USDA's nutrition assistance programs touch the lives of one in four American consumers annually and the nutrition education efforts associated with select programs offer a powerful opportunity to promote food security and improve dietary quality among eligible individuals and families.
This report responds to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which directs the FNS to provide a report on the amount of added sugars in school meals.
Nationwide waiver of the summer sponsor application deadline and to allow reimbursement for meals served prior to notification of approval for summer 2022 operations.
Pursuant to the authority in Section 2202 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and current national supply chain constraints due to COVID-19, FNS is granting a waiver of certain fiscal action requirements in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. This waiver is available for any state where there is a supply chain disruption with respect to foods served under such a qualified program and such disruption is due to COVID–19. FNS is also extending this flexibility to the NSLP Seamless Summer Option for the duration of this waiver.