Blog
Critical Need to Increase Food Security in Rural Alaska
A key part of our work to end hunger, improve nutrition, increase physical activity, and reduce diet-related diseases is focusing on historically under-served areas, like rural and Tribal communities. Alaska, for instance, faces unique challenges.
09/20/2023
Blog
Cultivating Health, Nutrition & Innovation in the Land of Enchantment
USDA FNS Administrator and regional FNS leadership visited New Mexico to recognize several FNS nutrition assistance programs in action and learn how FNS can support their work. New Mexico is one of the first states to offer healthy meals to all children, ensuring more kids have access to the meals they need to thrive at school and beyond.
06/23/2023
Blog
Three Days in Michigan
Over the course of three days in MI, Stacy Dean, Deputy Under Secretary for FNS, spoke at "The State of Our Plate" convening, met with school food service professionals, and attended a summit for healthcare professionals, insurers, federal, state, and local government officials.
04/11/2023
Blog
Secretary Tom Vilsack Visits Greeley Evans School District
Greeley-Evans School District 6 in northern Colorado was honored and excited to welcome Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to Maplewood Elementary School on March 22. The Secretary and visitors were able to see just one school of more than 30 in District 6 that provide essential health and nutrition programs to more than 22,000 students every day.
04/04/2023
Blog
Food Waste Reduction through Farm to School Programs
October is Farm to School Month! The USDA Farm to School Program helps schools incorporate local foods into meal programs and supports local food and agriculture education through grants, research, and technical assistance. Less plate waste may be a benefit for schools implementing farm to school.
10/27/2022
Blog
School Lunch is Nutritious and Delicious
USDA’s Farm to School Program awards grants to help connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for school meals. Schools and other eligible organizations can apply for a Farm to School Grant between now and Jan. 6, 2023.
10/14/2022
Blog
USDA Food Assistance Programs at Work in Guam and CNMI
On August 14-19, a leadership team traveled to Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Marianna Islands to meet with the territories’ leadership, superintendents and commissioners, that administer USDA food assistance programs. They discussed the challenges of transitioning back to pre-pandemic operations, how USDA could assist, and lessons learned.
10/12/2022
Blog
The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health: What it Means to Me
Today kicks off the second, historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. It’s been more than 50 years since the last conference, which produced impactful, meaningful changes to improve USDA nutrition assistance programs, including SNAP, WIC and school meals. The conference will work towards ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases and disparities in the U.S. by 2030.
09/28/2022
Blog
Four Ways to Nourish More Children through School Meals
Over the last two years, we’ve experienced major disruptions in the world of school meals – new realities stemming from pandemic-related school closures and supply chain disruptions which have impacted the cost and availability of food, staff, and supplies. Through it all, our dedicated school nutrition professionals have demonstrated a tireless commitment to ensuring kids remain fed and nourished.
09/08/2022
Blog
FNS Programs at Work in the San Francisco Bay Area
In early August, Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean and Administrator Cindy Long travelled to San Francisco for meetings and events related to the work FNS does to support local communities - visiting programs that have an impact on addressing hunger.
08/23/2022
Blog
Feeding the Future With Local Foods - It’s Elementary!
As Deputy Under Secretaries, it’s not every day that we get to don aprons and make chicken enchiladas as part of our work. But during a visit to Tyler Elementary School in Virginia’s Prince William County to celebrate National Nutrition Month, that’s exactly what we did!
03/09/2022
Blog
Passion Overcomes Pandemic Challenges
Like countless schools across the country, the Live Oak Unified School District, about 50 miles north of Sacramento, had to shift their operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
03/25/2021
Blog
Supporting Local Farmers to Feed Children in Hawaii
We applaud the food service professionals and community partners who have utilized the flexibilities and guidance that USDA has provided to come up with creative ways to get food to the children who need it. In Hawaii, one community college professional found a way to pull resources together for a common cause.
05/21/2020
Blog
School Meals that Rock
When FNS released new school meal flexibilities in November 2017, Kristin Hilleman, a FNS Director in southern California, breathed a big sigh of relief. “It wasn’t a huge change,” said Hilleman. “But it is nice to have a little bit of flexibility, especially with sodium and the use of non-whole wheat, when planning meals, such as spaghetti.”
03/11/2020
Blog
Farms and Schools – A Critical Link for a Healthy Future
One of my fondest childhood memories was helping my grandma tend to the fresh fruits and vegetables in her garden. After a morning’s work outside in the sunshine, the fresh-picked corn was a feast for the taste buds and a sweet reward for our hard work. Working alongside my grandma taught me many important lessons – notably, that food on the table across the nation is a result of the dedication and effort of America’s farmers.
10/30/2019
Page updated: February 25, 2021