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FNS today awards nearly $2 million in funding to six states and territories to help improve retention of children in WIC. These funds will enable WIC state agencies to better fulfill their  crucial role in ensuring young children up to age five have a foundation for nutritional success.

USDA today announced more than $500,000 in grants to academic and nonprofit organizations who will work to make farmers markets and farm stands more accessible to SNAP participants.

USDA today announced the organizations selected to participate in a nationwide pilot designed to improve access to groceries for homebound elderly and disabled persons participating in SNAP. Nearly one in five SNAP participants is either elderly or disabled and therefore may face unique obstacles to obtaining healthy food at the grocery store.

FNS today awarded $5 million in grants to state agencies and community-based organizations to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and implement modernization initiatives. Organizations from seven states were selected for these competitive grants, including Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, California and Washington. 

USDA today awarded $16.8 million in competitive grants to help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants increase their purchases of fruits and vegetables. The funding comes from the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and administered by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the USDA Rural Child Poverty Nutrition Center at the University of Kentucky awarded $1.3 million in grants to help reduce child food insecurity in 17 rural communities. The funding, ranging from $50,000 to $100,000, will help these rural communities implement creative strategies to improve access to federal nutrition assistance for families and children. Secretary Vilsack made the announcement during a panel discussion on the current state of food and nutrition in America hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 10 states have been selected to take part in SNAP to Skills, a first-of-its-kind, peer-to-peer effort to help state agencies design improved employment and training programs for adults participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in order to help them find employment and ultimately move off the SNAP program.

Today, on behalf of the White House Rural Council, six federal agencies joined together to announce the selection of 27 communities in 22 states that will participate in Local Foods, Local Places, a federal initiative that helps communities increase economic opportunities for local farmers and related businesses, create vibrant places and promote childhood wellness by improving access to healthy local food.