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Secretary Tom Vilsack, Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean and Administrator Cindy Long today hosted a virtual listening session with 19 school food industry executives to discuss their critical role in strengthening access to nutritious foods for school meals programs, now and into the future.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a comprehensive set of investments to address challenges facing America’s agricultural producers. These include assistance to address challenges and costs associated with drought, animal health, market disruptions for agricultural commodities and school food supply chain issues. 

USDA today announced assistance to help schools respond to supply chain disruptions, as part of a comprehensive set of investments to address challenges in American agriculture today. This is the latest example of the ongoing support USDA is providing schools and states as they to adapt to the ever-changing pandemic situation while working to ensure children receive nutritious school meals.

As students, parents and caretakers adjust to a physical return to classrooms this fall, the USDA reminds families to follow food safety practices to prevent foodborne illness when it comes to preparing frozen foods.

In January 2021, President Biden released the National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness. The plan is driven by science, data, and public health to improve the effectiveness of our nation’s fight against COVID-19 and to restore trust, accountability and a sense of common purpose in our response to the pandemic.

USDA today issued a broad range of flexibilities to allow school meal programs and childcare institutions across the country to return to serving healthy meals in fall 2021 as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to reopen schools safely.

President Donald Trump proclaimed this week National School Lunch Week 2020, highlighting the vital role of school nutrition professionals in ensuring that children in all communities nationwide continue to get nutritious meals, despite the challenges posed by the current public health emergency.

Secretary Sonny Perdue announced today that the USDA is extending flexibilities to allow free meals to continue to be available to all children throughout the entire 2020-2021 school year.

FNS Administrator Pam Miller visited two sites in Lebanon, PA, today to celebrate World School Milk Day. Miller met with the American Dairy Association North East and toured Brook-Corner Holsteins dairy farm to see first-hand the hard work and dedication American farmers put into getting nutritious milk and other products to the school lunch table.

Today, Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the USDA will extend several flexibilities through as late as Dec. 31, 2020. The flexibilities allow summer meal program operators to continue serving free meals to all children into the fall months.

Secretary Sonny Perdue lauded the achievement of its Meals to You partnership, which has now delivered more than 28.5 million meals to the doorsteps of low-income kids in rural communities across America during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a range of nationwide flexibilities to ensure America’s children receive the nutritious food they need throughout the upcoming school year. These waivers give states, schools, and childcare providers time to plan for how they will serve children in the fall, including allowing for new and innovative feeding options as the nation recovers from the coronavirus.

Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a nationwide extension of another key flexibility for USDA’s child nutrition programs. This waiver allows local partners, who have been working overtime serving meals to kids during the health crisis, the ability to continue serving free meals to all children – regardless of where they live – for the remainder of the summer.

Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Georgia and Iowa have been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act  which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.

Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Alaska has been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures. 

Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Mississippi has been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.

Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Hawaii has been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.

Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced Florida and Minnesota have been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures.