FNS Documents & Resources

Recently, FNS has received a number of questions related to buying local meat, poultry, game, and eggs; this memorandum seeks to clarify the regulatory requirements related to food safety and answer specific questions related to these products with a series of questions and answers.

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.

The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on rural designations in the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program’s Seamless Summer Option (SSO). The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 authorized a permanent non-congregate meal service option through the SFSP and SSO for children who live in rural communities with no congregate meal service. This memorandum supersedes SFSP policy memorandum SFSP 17-2015, Rural Designations in the Summer Food Service Program – Revised, April 21, 2017.

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.

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 and School Breakfast programs. These flexibilities also apply to the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option.

This memorandum applies to state agencies administering the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program. This document details further instructions and administrative procedures for participation in the reimbursement program established in Sec. 722 of the Act, which makes funding available via state agencies to program operators for the purposes of covering emergency operating costs incurred during the public health emergency

This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification on the operation of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program during implementation of alternative child nutrition program operations throughout school year 2021-22 due to the continued novel coronavirus public health emergency.

This memo announces a new suite of child nutrition program nationwide waivers and flexibilities to support a successful school reopening in school year 2021-22.

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. 

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.