This policy memorandum transmits the 2026-2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs) for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
Effective July 1, 2025 (school year 2025-26), school nutrition standards include a limit on the amount of added sugars allowed in breakfast cereals, flavored milk, and yogurt served in the NSLP and SBP, and for flavored milk sold as competitive foods known as Smart Snacks in School.
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance to state agencies and school food authorities on the paid lunch equity requirements for school year 2026-2027.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins strongly encourages WIC state agencies to familiarize themselves with the Guidelines and consider how the key recommendations can be incorporated into program operations to promote healthy outcomes and healthy families.
This memorandum provides notice to child nutrition program operators regarding the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026.
This memorandum is a reminder to state agencies and local educational agencies that the statutory deadline to elect the Community Eligibility Provision for the following school year is June 30. This memorandum also provides a reminder of the annual CEP notification and publication requirements.
This memorandum seeks to ensure that current Food and Nutrition Service guidance pertaining to federal civil rights and nondiscrimination obligations remains aligned with applicable laws, regulations, executive orders and directives relevant to the agency’s 16 nutrition assistance programs.
As part of Secretary Rollins’ commitment to support American beef and create healthy outcomes for American children, the Farm to School Program is committed to working with CNP operators to help them source and serve local in program meals.
In this program guidance, Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Rollins, strongly encourages child nutrition program operators to familiarize themselves with the key recommendations and consider how the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 can be incorporated into program meals and snacks to promote healthy outcomes and healthy families.
The primary objective of this Handbook is to help state agencies navigate FNS requirements to secure approval, and get the requested funding, for modern eligibility systems and EBT benefit delivery services.