In response to section 765 of the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2017 and subsequently enacted appropriations, this rule proposes to codify a new framework for determining distinct staple food varieties and accessory foods (such as snacks, desserts, and foods meant to complement or supplement meals, which do not themselves count as staple foods) for purposes of meeting the staple food requirements for retailer participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The rulemaking is necessary to implement the codified stocking requirements of the Agricultural Act of 2014, which increased the minimum number of staple food varieties and perishables SNAP retailers must carry. A summary of this notice of proposed rulemaking is posted on regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FNS- 2025-0018.
Comments close Nov 24, 2025
Due to a technical problem with the docket that prevented comments from being accepted during part of the initial comment period, FNS is reopening the comment period for the interim final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on June 6, 2025. The rule rescinds an unnecessary reporting requirement for the school meals application verification process.
Comments close Sep 8, 2025
This rule rescinds an unnecessary reporting requirement for the school meals application verification process.
Comments close Jul 7, 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (the Department) is issuing this proposed rule to formally incorporate by reference the FNS Handbook 310 into SNAP regulations. By doing so, the Department is ensuring that the public receives a notice and comment period prior to implementation of revisions to the Handbook, which is the standard operating procedure manual for conducting quality control (QC) reviews of SNAP cases. The Department also proposes to remove reference to FNS Handbook 311 until it can be incorporated by reference. The Department requests comment on these proposed provisions.
Comments close Mar 4, 2025
This final rule with comment period ("final rule") expands fluid milk options by allowing schools and child and adult care providers participating in Child Nutrition Programs to offer whole and reduced-fat milk to participants two years and older. This rule codifies milkfat requirements following enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and supports the statutory requirements for meals to align with the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. By removing previous fluid milkfat-content restrictions, this deregulatory rule restores flexibility to Program operators, allowing them to offer a greater variety of fluid milk options, including whole and reduced- fat milk, to meet the nutrition needs and preferences of the children and adults they serve.
This rule codifies a new framework for determining distinct staple food varieties for meeting staple food stocking requirements for retailer participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This rule is needed to implement the previously codified provision of the Agricultural Act of 2014 which increased the minimum number of staple food varieties a SNAP retailer must carry from three to seven in each of four staple food categories and the number of food categories for which at least one perishable variety must be provided from two to three. These changes aim to ensure that SNAP retailers can effectively serve SNAP participants by offering a wider variety of staple foods.
On December 14, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published a final rule that went into effect on February 12, 2024. The rule amended the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) regulations to implement the provisions of the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 (ABFA) and make related amendments. In reviewing the resulting changes to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), FNS found that the final rule inadvertently omitted provisions from the CFR and contained several non-substantive errors. This document corrects those errors in the WIC regulations.
This rule eliminates two time-limited state options in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) program regulations that are now obsolete.
This rule removes the Coordinated Services Plan (CSP) requirement for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) Program under the "Implementing Provisions from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023: Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal Programs" interim final rule published December 29, 2023.
FNS is proposing to rescind Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Revision of Civil Rights Data Collection Methods regulations, issued as a final rule on December 14, 2023.
This rule rescinds an obsolete data collection requirement in regulations regarding the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Abstract not supplied.
This document informs the public that FNS is withdrawing the proposed rule titled, "Provisions to Improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's Quality Control System," that published in the Federal Register on September 19, 2023, and its correction on December 19, 2023. This rule proposed amendments to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) regulations to strengthen and improve the integrity and accuracy of the SNAP quality control (QC) system as requested by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.
