Newsroom

Secretary Tom Vilsack announced major steps to promote the health of America’s children through school meals. Nutrition standards for school meals will be gradually updated to include less sugar and flexibility with menu planning between Fall 2025 and Fall 2027. The Department arrived at these changes after listening closely to public feedback and considering the latest science-based recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

Families affected by severe storms in the areas of Johnson, Ludlow, Hardwick, Barre/Berlin/ Montpelier/Northfield, and Chester will soon be able to receive food packages containing nutritious, high-quality foods that are 100% grown and produced on farms in the U.S. – known as USDA Foods.

The USDA's Food and Nutrition Service recently awarded more than $58.5 million in grants to 40 state agencies to improve the reach of The Emergency Food Assistance Program, in remote, rural, tribal, and/or low-income areas.  

Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the Biden-Harris Administration is providing $2.7 billion to support American farmers, students who participate in school meal programs, and emergency food operations.

The administration is equipping emergency food providers with significant levels of investments so they can continue serving their communities well through ongoing and evolving challenges. These investments focus on additional food purchases, improving infrastructure, supporting health and nutrition, bolstering local food systems, and promoting access and equity to continue to drive toward a stronger tomorrow.

Approximately 7,000 families in Cross and Pulaski County affected by recent tornadoes and severe storms will soon be able to receive food packages containing nutritious, high-quality foods that are 100% grown and produced on farms in the U.S. – known as USDA Foods. USDA approved the short-term measure to address an immediate need for food until a longer-term solution is ready to be put in place.

USDA FNS today recognized significant progress made across the nation’s nutrition assistance programs and broader nutrition security efforts during the Biden-Harris second year in office. As President Biden prepares for the 2023 State of the Union address, he will reflect on last year’s progress and forge ahead in the fight against hunger and increase access to nutritious foods for all Americans by supporting vital FNS programs that assist families in navigating the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, such as high food costs and supply shortages.

USDA FNS is inviting applications for the second of two rounds of grants to improve the reach of TEFAP. Both rounds of grants – totaling up to $100 million and funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 – are intended to equip state agencies and emergency food providers to better serve those in need of food in remote, rural, tribal, and other low-income areas that face persistent poverty and inequality.

USDA announced an increase in funding to help schools continue to serve kids healthy meals this coming school year and lower costs for schools and childcare providers. 

I am pleased to see that Congress has taken action to provide much needed support to help USDA’s child nutrition programs serve nutritious meals to America’s children. - Secretary Vilsack

USDA’s child nutrition programs provide nutritious meals to America’s children. The school and other nutrition professionals who make these meals possible need additional resources and continued flexibilities as they grapple with the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic. The deal would ease uncertainty and bring a measure of relief to our schools, summer sites and child care feeding programs - Secretary Vilsack.

FNS awarded over $39 million in grants to 38 state agencies to improve TEFAP reach into remote, rural, tribal, and/or low-income areas that are underserved by the program.

FNS announced today that it will interpret the prohibition on discrimination based on sex found in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and in the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, SNAP to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

FNS today reflected on its efforts over the past year to ensure households across the country have access to a nutritious diet. Throughout the first year of the Biden-Harris Administration, FNS bolstered its nutrition assistance programs through a wide range of administrative actions and with the unprecedented $12 billion investment in food assistance provided by the American Rescue Plan Act.