FNS Documents & Resources

President Trump signs The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, that reauthorizes the programs administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) through 2023.

Welcome to the new SNAP Certification Policy Waiver Database. This waiver database was designed to help users find the information they need quickly in a friendly format.  SNAP regulations provide that waivers may be approved under certain conditions, including when approval of a waiver would result in a more effective and efficient administration of the program. 

The purpose of this memorandum is to distribute funding allocations in the amount of $25 million provided by the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Agriculture Appropriations Act to state agencies that will competitively award equipment assistance grants to eligible school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
 

Through this rulemaking, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service  is codifying new and revised statutory requirements included in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 . First, the Department is revising the minimum Federal share of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) administrative costs and State agency/Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) mandatory administrative match requirement amounts. Second, the Department is revising its administrative match waiver requirements by allowing State agencies and ITOs to qualify for a waiver if the required match share would be a substantial burden. Third, the Department is limiting the reduction of any FDPIR benefits or services to State agencies and ITOs that are granted a full or partial administrative match waiver. Last, the Department is allowing for other Federal funds, if such use is otherwise consistent with both the purpose of the other Federal funds and with the purpose of FDPIR administrative funds, to be used to meet the State agency/ITO administrative match requirement.

Letters to various Directors of Human Services with attached Public Charge fact sheet.

This memorandum rescinds and replaces SP 22-2019, CACFP 09-2019, SFSP 08-2019 Crediting Coconut, Hominy, Corn Masa, and Corn Flour in the Child Nutrition Programs. This updated memorandum provides guidance on crediting coconut (including dried coconut), hominy, corn masa, and masa harina and clarifies how to identify popular products made from corn that can credit towards the grain requirements in the child nutrition programs (CNPs), including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

This memorandum provides guidance to states regarding the repayment of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from the sponsors of non-citizens who participate in the program. States are encouraged to request reimbursement if a sponsored non-citizen receives SNAP benefits and clarification is provided on the steps for requesting repayment.  States are also reminded of their obligation to comply with the requirements for counting sponsor income. 

Federal law requires State agencies to verify a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applicant's identity and other critical information prior to · certifying the household to participate in SNAP. In general, SNAP State agencies verify identity based on documentary evidence, such as a driver's license, obtained through the applicant or a third party. However, over the last 6 years, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has conditionally permitted several State agencies to establish and conduct Identity Authentication Pilot projects. As a result of the projects' success in providing an innovative way for SNAP State agencies to provide maximum flexibility to utilize technology in streamlining program administration, FNS is now providing all State agencies the option to use Identity Authentication in verifying applicant identity.

This memorandum clarifies the use of third party payroll sources, such as The Work Number, for SNAP certification policy and Quality Control (QC) purposes. The first two sections of this memorandum apply to certification · policy and the section titled Quality Control Considerations provides details on how to treat verification from a third party payroll source for QC reviews.

This memorandum provides information on the updated template Local Agency Procurement Review Tool for State agencies to use, modify, or develop in school year (SY) 2019-2020.  While the concepts of the original tool remain the same, the updated tool is now streamlined to reduce burden, consolidate questions, clarify instructions, and improve functionality for school food authorities (SFAs) and state agencies.