Agency Links
- Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Response to COVID-19
- FNS COVID-19 Flexibilities and Waivers by State for All Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Programs
- FNS COVID-19 Flexibilities and Waivers Q&A Page
Agency News and Guidance
February 2, 2021 - FNS Posts Questions and Answers Regarding Temporary Expanded Student Eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
January 29, 2021 – FNS Posts Guidance on Changes for Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Program
The changes include benefit increases and administrative flexibilities.
January 26, 2021 - FNS Posts Guidance for Child Nutrition Program Emergency Operating Costs Reimbursement During COVID-19
January 22, 2021 - FNS Announces 15% Increase in P-EBT Daily Benefit
January 22, 2021 - FNS Begins Process of Updating, Increasing Thrifty Food Plan Cost
The plan is the basis for calculations of benefit levels for SNAP
January 15, 2021 - FNS Extends Entitlement Calculations Opt-In Waiver for National School Lunch Program for School Year 2021-2022
January 7, 2021 - FNS Issues Nationwide Waiver for Selected Child Nutrition Reporting Requirements
January 6, 2021 - FNS Extends Nationwide Waiver of Food Service Management Contract Duration Limit in the National School Lunch Program and Summer Food Service Program
January 5, 2021 - FNS Posts Q&A #4 Relating to the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option Operations during School Year 2020-2021
December 31, 2021 - FNS Posts Informational Memo on SNAP Provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act
December 30, 2020 - FNS Posts Updated FY 2021 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Allotments and Deductions
The updates reflect the temporary increase provided in the year-end COVID-19 relief bill.
December 28, 2020 – FNS Posts Newly Increased SNAP Maximum Allotments by State
The newly passed Consolidated Appropriations Act increases maximum allotments for SNAP by 15%.
December 3, 2020 - FNS Posts Guidance on Waivers for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Extended in the Continuing Resolution
November 23, 2020 - FNS Posts Off-site Monitoring Fact Sheets for Child Nutrition Programs
November 16, 2020 - FNS Posts Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) Documents
- Memo on Changes in Continuing Resolution
- Template for State Plans for School Year 2020-2021
- Q&As on Assistance for Children in Schools That Are Closed or have Reduced Attendance
November 10, 2020 - FNS Posts Spreadsheet Showing SNAP Flexibilities in the Continuing Resolution Adopted by State
The spreadsheet, to be updated by FNS weekly, shows expiration dates for flexibilities provided in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) for SNAP, extended in the continuing resolution (CR) signed into law October 1.
November 4, 2020 - FNS Posts P-EBT Questions and Answers for Retailers
November 4, 2020 - FNS Publishes Final Rule on Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) Program Integrity
The agency also posted some related questions and answers for retailers and updated a page with information on EBT generally including links to guidance, retailer notices, contacts, and status reports by state.
November 3, 2020 - FNS Posts Memo on Reporting of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Data for Forms FNS-10, FNS-44, and FNS-418
November 3, 2020 - USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Posts COVID-Related Procurement Dashboard
The dashboard allows stakeholders to see state award amounts, search for a particular vendor or category of product or service, or view awards granted by agency. Procurement actions are mapped by the performance location zip code.
October 16, 2020 - ASPE Publishes Projections of Poverty and Program Eligibility During COVID-19
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation provides projections of poverty rates and eligibility for Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and SNAP for the August to December 2020 period.
October 9, 2020 - Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Extends Food Program Waivers as Authorized by Continuing Resolution (CR)
The actions extend through June 30, 2021 waivers previously granted through December 31, 2020, and grant permission to do the following:
- Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option
- Operate through June 30, 2021
- Serve meals in all areas (also applies to closed enrolled sites), at no cost
- Serve meals outside of typical group settings and mealtimes
- Deviate from meal pattern requirements
- Let parents and guardians pick up meals for their kids
- Reimburse program sponsors prior to sponsor approval
- Skip pre-approval visits of sponsors and sites
- Disregard rules on the use of Offer-Versus-Serve in the Summer Food Service Program
- Skip first week site visits
- Child Nutrition Programs
- Deviate from meal pattern requirements
- Serve Meals in All Areas for Child and Adult Care Food Program At-Risk Afterschool Care Component
September 28, 2020 - FNS Continues Granting Waivers for Nutrition Programs
- General
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
- SNAP
- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
September 21, 2020 - FNS Gathers Fact Sheets on Providing Multiple Meals at One Time in Child Nutrition Programs
September 21, 2020 - FNS Extends Certain Active WIC Waivers Past End of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Active waivers extended include most of those related to social distancing and all active food package waivers.
September 18, 2020 - FNS Extends Area Eligibility Waiver for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool Care Component
The waiver will remain in effect until December 31, 2020.
September 11, 2020 - Court Grants Preliminary Injunction Against Administration’s Denial of SNAP Emergency Allotments to Pennsylvania Households Already Receiving Maximum
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania also issued an accompanying order.
September 11, 2020 - FNS Posts Documents Regarding Summer Food Service Program (SFSP):
- Waiver Allowing Pre-Approval Reimbursement of Sponsors and Waiving Requirement for Pre-Approval Visits
- Q&A on SFSP and Seamless Summer Option Extension Through December 2020
September 3, 2020 - FNS Posts Webinar: “Using USDA Foods in Disasters, Emergencies, and Situations of Distress”
August 31, 2020 - FNS Extends Waivers for Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option Through December 31, 2020
Extended waivers include:
- Parent and Guardian Pickup
- Non-Congregate Feeding
- Meal Pattern Requirements
- Area Eligibility
- Closed Enrolled Sites
- Offer versus Serve
- Service Time Restrictions
- First Week Site Visits
- Operation Through December 31, 2020
August 4, 2020 - FNS Extends Nationwide Onsite Monitoring Waivers
Programs covered include:
- School Meals (through June 30, 2021)
- Child and Adult Care Food (through September 30, 2021, including sponsors)
- Summer Food Service (through September 30, 2021)
July 17, 2020 - FNS Announces Extra Food Packages Funded by CARES Act for Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Participants
June 26, 2020 -USDA OIG Publishes Study of Potential Risks to FNS Coronavirus Aid
June 25, 2020 - FNS Announces Child Nutrition Flexibilities Through Next School Year
Flexibilities include those around meal patterns, group-setting requirements, meal service times, parent/guardian pick-up, and a new waiver of “offer versus serve.” The waivers will apply through June 30, 2021.
June 17, 2020 - USDA OIG Identifies Management Challenges for Department’s Pandemic-Related Responsibilities
Among them: FNS Needs to Strengthen SNAP Management Controls.
June 11, 2020 - FNS Posts Handouts on Providing Multiple Meals at a Time During the Pandemic
June 8, 2020 - FNS Posts Memo on State Options for SNAP Management Evaluations Disrupted by COVID-19
May 29, 2020 - FNS Releases CARES Act Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Allocations
May 27, 2020 - FNS Posts 12-Page Handout on Providing Multiple Meals at a Time Through the Seamless Summer Option
May 21, 2020 - FNS Publishes Details of Nationwide Waiver Extensions
May 18, 2020 - FNS Publishes WIC Guidance on Treatment of CARES Act Payments in Income Determinations
May 6, 2020 - FNS Posts Requirements for Retailers Wishing to Provide Online Purchasing to SNAP Households
April 30, 2020 - FNS Issues Blanket Quality Control Waiver for March, April, May 2020
April 30, 2020 - FNS Posts Guidance on Reporting COVID-19 Data for Child Nutrition Programs
April 21, 2020 - FNS Updates Guidance for States on Emergency Allotments for SNAP
April 17, 2020 - FNS Allowing Remote and Extended Benefit Issuance for WIC
April 17, 2020 - FNS Able to Waive WIC Minimum Stock Requirements
April 17, 2020 -FNS Posts State Allocations for Families First Act TEFAP Funding
April 16, 2020 - FNS Posts Guidance on Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT)
April 10, 2020 - FNS Issues Denial of Certain Requests to Adjust SNAP Regulations
April 9, 2020 - FNS Waives 60-day Reimbursement Claims Deadlines
April 3, 2020 - USDA Posts Online Tool for Finding Kids Free Meals During School Closures
March 31, 2020 - FNS Posts Flexibilities for TEFAP Agencies
March 26, 2020 - FNS Waives Monitoring Requirements
March 26, 2020 - FNS Adjusts SNAP Interview Requirements
March 25, 2020 - FNS Waives Community Eligibility Provision Deadlines for School Lunch and Breakfast Programs
March 24, 2020 - USDA Flags Scams Targeting SNAP
March 20, 2020 - FNS Publishes Nationwide Waivers of:
March 17, 2020 - FNS Announces Feeding Partnership for Rural Schools
USDA will deliver meals to students in certain rural schools. It will prioritize students in areas with active COVID-19 outbreaks who do not have access to an SFSP site.
Updated February 4, 2021