FNS Documents & Resources

This memorandum clarifies that individual state agency waiver requests submitted to FNS in calendar year 2020 requesting flexibilities in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, Special Milk Program for Children and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program during the COVID-19 public health emergency that have not been approved or denied prior to Dec. 31, 2020, will no longer be considered active requests. 

This memorandum revises the current USDA Food and Nutrition Service process for state agencies and eligible service providers seeking a waiver of statutory or regulatory program requirements for the child nutrition programs, including the CACFP, the SFSP, the NSLP, the FFVP, the SMP, and the SBP. 

The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on the use of school and census data to establish area eligibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the At-Risk Afterschool component of CACFP, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option of the National School Lunch Program.

Section 4 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act provides general cash for food assistance payments to states to assist schools in purchasing food. The NSLA provides two different section 4 payment levels for lunches served under the NSLP.

This memorandum provides guidance regarding amendments to the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act  that extend automatic eligibility for free meal benefits, including free milk, to all children enrolled in Head Start and participating in child nutrition programs.

Prior to issuance of a final rule, we are authorizing determining agencies to disclose free and reduced price meal or free milk eligibility information to the extent authorized in the statute.