Food and Nutrition Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is an extension, without change, of a currently approved collection to collect qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient and timely manner.

The Food and Nutrition Service is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on November 18, 2024. The document implements statutory requirements and policy improvements to strengthen the employment and training (E&T) program through the collection of information to determine the overall effectiveness of the E&T program in reaching the goal of assisting participants in obtaining the skills necessary to obtain and retain employment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new information collection for the contract of the study titled Guidance for SNAP Certification and Quality Control Interviews. The purpose of this collection is to help FNS develop new guidance for SNAP eligibility and Quality Control interviews based on principles of human-centered design and cultural competency.

This rule finalizes changes proposed October 3, 2019, by the Department to revise Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) regulations for calculating standard utility allowances (SUAs) and expand allowable shelter expenses to include basic internet costs. It requires State agencies to submit for FNS approval their SUA methodologies at least every five years, and methodology submissions must incorporate any revisions necessary to demonstrate that the baseline expenditure data and underlying methodology reflect recent trends and changes. This rule also provides State agencies with the flexibility necessary to ensure that they meet households' needs while also aligning SUAs with data on low-income household utility costs in a more consistent manner. This rule also finalizes updates proposed April 20, 2016, regarding the treatment of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or other similar energy assistance program payments, in accordance with amendments made to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 by the Agricultural Act of 2014. The intent of this final rule is to ensure consistency and integrity of SUAs across the country, which the Department believes is good governance.

This final rule considers public comments submitted in response to the proposed rule revising the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and USDA Foods disaster response regulations. This final rule makes access and parity improvements in USDA's food distribution programs to support access for eligible populations and streamline requirements for program operators.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new information collection request in which FNS seeks updated information about the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), including participant characteristics, program operations, and why FDPIR participation has been declining. This study will also include an evaluation of the self-determination demonstration projects (SDDPs), which allow Tribes administering FDPIR to directly purchase food for the FDPIR food packages distributed to their Tribe.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This new collection will provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) key information from a large representative sample of SNAP households to enable FNS to examine how SNAP households change through time.

This document informs the public that the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is withdrawing the proposed rule titled Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D- SNAP) that published in the Federal Register on May 10, 2016. This rule would have amended the SNAP regulations to establish procedures for planning, requesting and operating D-SNAP. The Department is withdrawing this proposed rule to maintain the flexibility to adapt D- SNAP to unique disaster situations. The importance of this flexibility became apparent as the Department adjusted traditional D-SNAP operations to accommodate the changing circumstances during the public health emergency. The proposed rule would have prevented the Department from enacting many of the successful responses utilized during the public health emergency to best serve households and State agencies in the aftermath of a disaster. After enacting these critical adaptations to D-SNAP design during the public health emergency, receiving feedback from D-SNAP listening sessions, and reviewing the comments received on the proposed rule, the Department is withdrawing the proposed rule to reduce the burden on State agencies and households responding to disasters.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed information collection. This is a revision of an existing information collection to conduct demonstration pilot projects to test the redemption of SNAP benefits through mobile payment technologies.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new information collection request in which FNS seeks a description of Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) participant characteristics and program operations. CSFP provides free groceries to approximately 700,000 low-income seniors each month and is administered by 60 State agencies, approximately 250 local agencies, and approximately 9,000 distribution sites.

This Notice announces the annual adjustments to the national average payments, the amount of money the Federal Government provides States for lunches, afterschool snacks, and breakfasts served to children participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; to the maximum reimbursement rates, the maximum per lunch rate from Federal funds that a State can provide a school food authority for lunches served to children participating in the National School Lunch Program; and to the rate of reimbursement for a half-pint of milk served to non-needy children in a school or institution that participates in the Special Milk Program for Children. The annual payments and rates adjustments for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs reflect changes in the Food Away From Home series of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The annual rate adjustment for the Special Milk Program reflects changes in the Producer Price Index for Fluid Milk Products. Further adjustments are made to these rates to reflect higher costs of providing meals in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. The payments and rates are prescribed on an annual basis each July.

This notice announces the national average value of donated foods or, where applicable, cash in lieu of donated foods, to be provided in school year 2025 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025) for each lunch served by schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and for each lunch and supper served by institutions participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service is extending the public comment period on the proposed rule, "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Program Purpose and Work Requirement Provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023," which was published in the Federal Register on April 30, 2024. This action extends the public comment period from May 30, 2024, to June 14, 2024, to give the public additional time to review the proposed rule.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces FNS' plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed ICR before FNS submits it to OMB. The proposed information collection is a revision of an approved information collection. The approved information collection (OMB Control Number 0584-0607) permitted the School Meals Operations (SMO) study to collect survey and administrative data about school year (SY) 2019-2020 through SY 2022- 2023 from a census of State agencies, and survey data about SY 2020- 2021 and SY 2022-2023 from a nationally representative sample of school food authorities. With the revision, FNS will seek approval for the SMO study to collect survey and administrative data about SY 2023-2024 from a census of State agencies. The SMO study will not collect survey data about SY 2023-2024 from school food authorities.

This rulemaking finalizes long-term school nutrition requirements based on the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, robust stakeholder input, and lessons learned from prior rulemakings. Notably, this rulemaking gradually phases in added sugars limits for the school lunch and breakfast programs and in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, updates total sugars limits for breakfast cereals and yogurt to added sugars limits. As a reflection of feedback from stakeholders, this final rule implements a single sodium reduction in the school lunch and breakfast programs and commits to studying the potential associations between sodium reduction and student participation in the school lunch and breakfast programs. This rulemaking addresses a variety of other school meal requirements, including establishing long-term milk and whole grain requirements. Finally, this rule includes provisions that strengthen Buy American requirements. While this rulemaking takes effect school year 2024-2025, the Department is gradually phasing in required changes over time. Program operators are not required to make any changes to their menus as a result of this rulemaking until school year 2025-2026 at the earliest.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new collection without an assigned OMB control number for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This information collection is for activities associated with SNAP demonstration projects and the SNAP State Options Report, respectively.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new collection for the study "Assessment of Administrative Costs of Electronic Healthy Incentives Projects (eHIP)." This study will calculate costs incurred by eHIP, which will provide incentives through EBT integration to increase purchase of healthy foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables) by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants.

The Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) is a cooperative argreement recipient from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). CAF plans to collect additional information from sub-grantees, based on an assessment and data report, which is beyond the information already approved under OMB Control Number: 0584-0512 (Expiration Date: July 31, 2025). FNS already has OMB approval for collection of information associated with these grants under the Uniform Grant Application for Non-Entitlement Discretionary Grants, as approved under OMB Control Number: 0584-0512. This notice solicits public comment on the additional information proposed for collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection to provide FNS and WIC State agencies with an ongoing/annual data set that can be used to assess State agencies' compliance with WIC vendor management requirements and estimate State agencies' progress in eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse.

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals, free milk, and Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits for the period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. These guidelines are used by schools, institutions, and facilities participating in the National School Lunch Program (and Commodity School Program), School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program. Beginning in 2024, they will also be used by States and Indian Tribal Organizations that administer the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program. The annual adjustments are required by section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The guidelines are intended to direct benefits to those children most in need and are revised annually to account for changes in the Consumer Price Index.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed revision to the currently approved information collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) FNS-885, ``SNAP Education (SNAP-Ed) Intervention Scoring Tool'' and the FNS-886, ``SNAP Education (SNAP-Ed) Intervention Submission Form.'' This revision to forms FNS-885 and FNS-886 will provide an improved user experience by simplifying scoring criteria and clarifying the information requested for certain fields. These updates will also align with the new SNAP-Ed National Program Evaluation and Reporting System (N-PEARS), to ensure consistency with SNAP-Ed specific terms. More information on changes to these forms is in the Supplementary Information section of this notice.

This notice informs the public of the annual adjustments to the reimbursement rates for meals served in the Summer Food Service Program. These adjustments address changes in the Consumer Price Index, as required under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The 2024 reimbursement rates are presented as a combined set of rates to highlight simplified cost accounting procedures. The 2024 rates are also presented individually, as separate operating and administrative rates of reimbursement, to show the effect of the Consumer Price Index adjustment on each rate. On average, the 2024 rates adjustment represents a 5.3 percent increase in the rates from last year.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a new collection that combines the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II (SNMCS-II), School Food Purchase Study-IV (SFPS-IV), and a second Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Evaluation (FFVP-II) into one coordinated effort named the 2024-2025 National School Foods Study. The purpose of this combined effort is to reduce overall burden for respondents across the three studies and provide a comprehensive picture of the school- based child nutrition (CN) programs in the 2024-2025 school year.

This rulemaking serves to amend the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program regulations by incorporating provisions of the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 and making related amendments. ABFA establishes waiver authority for the Secretary of Agriculture to address certain emergencies, disasters, and supply chain disruptions impacting WIC, and adds requirements to State agency infant formula cost containment contracts to protect against disruptions to the Program in the event of a recall. The provisions focus on improving State agencies' ability to ensure continuity of Program operations during emergency periods (i.e., emergencies, disasters, and public health emergencies) and supply chain disruptions, while ensuring access to Program benefits among low-income pregnant and postpartum participants, infants, and children up to 5 years of age who are at nutritional risk.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed revision to the currently approved information collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) form FNS-889, ``SNAP Education (SNAP-Ed) Connection Resource Sharing Form.'' This revision to the information collection will improve the submission process by clarifying the information requested for certain fields, thus providing data that is accurate and beneficial to stakeholders using the resource. These updates will also align with the new SNAP-Ed National Program Evaluation and Reporting System (N-PEARS) (OMB Control #0584-0683, expiration 4/30/2026), to ensure consistency with SNAP-Ed specific terms. With this update to form FNS-889, FNS has determined that nutrition and physical activity interventions (i.e., educational materials, curricula, etc.), will no longer be accepted through this information collection.