We published the Updated Staple Food Stocking Standards for Retailers in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Final Rule. To support retailer implementation, we are issuing this memo to describe the new minimum staple food stocking requirements across the four staple food categories: 1. Dairy; 2. Grains; 3. Protein; 4. Vegetables or Fruits. This memo also provides an updated list of accessory foods.
We published the direct final rule with comment period, Simplified Geographic Preference Procurement in Child Nutrition Programs (91 FR 57245), effective Nov. 9, 2026.
We published the Updated Staple Food Stocking Standards for Retailers in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Final Rule. To support retailer implementation, we are issuing this memo to describe the new minimum staple food stocking requirements across the four staple food categories: 1. Dairy; 2. Grains; 3. Protein; 4. Vegetables or Fruits. This memo also provides an updated list of accessory foods.
This memo transmits technical updates to the FNS Handbook 310 issued through QC Policy Memo 24-03.
We urge each third party processor to take proactive steps that support SNAP integrity and protect taxpayer dollars.
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, requires the SNAP QC system use a tolerance level to set a monetary threshold for determining which QC errors are included in the calculation of payment error rates. This threshold is adjusted annually to correspond with changes in the Thrifty Food Plan. The threshold will increase from $58 in FY 2026 to $59 for FY 2027.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins writes to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any USDA Child Nutrition Program, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option, of the many ways they can purchase local foods to serve in program meals.
The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any U.S. Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Program, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option, of the various resources available to help child nutrition program operators procure local foods.
For FY27, we are continuing to offer state agencies a simplified option as changes from OBBB continue to be implemented. State agencies may not use a new SUA methodology to calculate their SUA values without approval from FNA and are required to update their SUA values each year.
This memorandum provides the FY 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments to the SNAP maximum allotments, income eligibility standards, and deductions. Under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, COLAs are effective as of Oct. 1, 2026.