Domestic Food Assistance:
Summary of Programs

Randy Alison Aussenberg
Analyst in Nutrition Assistance Policy
Kirsten J. Colello
Specialist in Health and Aging Policy
January 3, 2013
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R42353
CRS Report for Congress
Pr
epared for Members and Committees of Congress

Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs

Summary
Over the years, Congress has authorized and the federal government has administered programs
to provide food to the hungry and to other vulnerable populations in this country. This report
offers a brief overview of hunger and food insecurity along with the related network of programs.
The report is structured around three main tables that contain information about each program,
including its authorizing language, administering agency, eligibility, services provided,
participation data, and funding information. In between the tables, contextual information about
this policy area and program administration is provided that may assist Congress in tracking
developments in domestic food assistance. This report provides a bird’s-eye view of domestic
food assistance and can be used both to learn about the details of individual programs as well as
compare and contrast features across programs.
This report includes overview information for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and
Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) programs as well as nutrition programs administered by the
Administration on Aging (AOA), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’
Administration for Community Living (HHS-ACL). USDA-FNS programs include nutrition
programs authorized in the 2008 farm bill (the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008; P.L.
110-246). Programs included in the farm bill are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP), Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), Commodity Supplemental Food
Program (CSFP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition
Program. USDA-FNS also administers programs not contained in the farm bill: the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Child Nutrition
programs (School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Summer Food
Service Program (SFSP), Special Milk Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program
(CACFP)). HHS-ACL programs are the nutrition programs contained in the Older Americans Act
(OAA)—Congregate Nutrition Program; Home Delivered Nutrition Program; Grants to Native
Americans: Supportive and Nutrition Services; and the Nutrition Service Incentive Program
(NSIP).

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Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs

Contents
Background ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Hunger and Food Insecurity ...................................................................................................... 1
Program Variation ...................................................................................................................... 3
USDA-FNS Programs ..................................................................................................................... 5
Farm Bill .................................................................................................................................... 6
WIC and Child Nutrition Programs ........................................................................................... 7
HHS-ACL Programs ...................................................................................................................... 14

Figures
Figure 1. Rate of Food Insecure Households, 1998-2011 ................................................................ 3

Tables
Table 1. Overview of Farm Bill Programs ....................................................................................... 8
Table 2. Overview of WIC and Child Nutrition Programs ............................................................ 10
Table 3. Overview of Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Programs ....................................... 16

Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 18
Area of Expertise by Author .......................................................................................................... 18

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Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs

Background
This report gives an overview of the federal programs that provide food assistance within the
United States and the territories. The report begins by discussing common concepts and themes
across the network of domestic food assistance programs. The report is split into two main parts:
programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service
(USDA-FNS), and programs administered by the Administration on Aging (AOA), within the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living (HHS-
ACL). Within the USDA-FNS section are two subsections of programs: Farm Bill programs
(Table 1), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
(WIC) and Child Nutrition Programs (Table 2). Within the HHS-ACL section, Table 3 provides
an overview of the Older Americans Act nutrition programs.1 The tables within this report are
intended to provide summary information, which can help illustrate the ways in which domestic
food assistance programs are both similar and different.
Hunger and Food Insecurity
Congress has long been interested in issues of hunger and allocating federal resources to address
hunger in this country. The federal programs discussed in this report pursue the goal of providing
food to low-income and needy populations, seeking to prevent hunger. Some of these programs,
such as the National School Lunch Program, have deep roots dating to the Depression era.
Evaluating trends in hunger in our nation is crucial to understanding if the efforts to prevent
hunger are working and in recognizing if there are particular vulnerable populations that need
assistance. Hunger, however, is a challenging concept to measure. For that reason, the terms
“food security” and “food insecurity,” as opposed to “hunger,” are the prevailing terms used to
describe the ability to access adequate food.
“Food security” and “food insecurity” focus on those economic and other access-related reasons
associated with an individual’s ability to purchase or otherwise obtain enough to eat. They are
also terms that can be objectively measured. For this reason, a 2006 panel convened by the
National Research Council, at the request of USDA, reviewed USDA measurements related to
food adequacy. The panel recommended that USDA make a clear distinction between food
insecurity and hunger. According to the panel, hunger is an individual-level physiological
condition that is not feasible to measure through a household survey.2 Furthermore, the panel
stated that it is difficult to capture gradations in hunger through individual assessment. Thus, the
terms food security and food insecurity do not capture those non-economic or other individual
behaviors that may result in the physical condition of being hungry. For example, these terms do

1 There are additional federal programs that may provide food or meal assistance but these programs fall outside of
what is typically considered to be the domestic food assistance programs. For example, while the early childhood
education program, Head Start, may provide funds that go, in part, to providing meals, Head Start is not considered a
food assistance program and is not included here. Similarly, emergency disaster relief programs administered by the
Department of Homeland Security may in part provide sustenance as part of disaster recovery, but those programs are
also not included in this overview.
2 National Research Council, Food Insecurity and Hunger in the United States: An Assessment of the Measure,
Washington, DC, 2006, pp. 23-51, http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11578. As a result of these findings,
USDA now measures “low food security” and “very low food security,” not hunger.
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not capture instances where an individual may have missed a meal due to illness or because they
were otherwise too busy to eat.
Each year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA-ERS)
conducts an analysis based on Current Population Survey (CPS) data to measure food security in
the United States.3 Data from the USDA-ERS’s 2011 study are included in this CRS report. ERS
uses terminology that indicates whether a household was able to purchase or otherwise acquire
enough to eat in 2011 (“food security”) or not able to purchase or acquire enough to eat (“food
insecurity”). Since 2006, ERS has distinguished between a spectrum of four levels of food
security, listed below from highest to lowest:
High food securityHouseholds had no problems, or anxiety about, consistently accessing
adequate food.
Marginal food security—Households had problems at times, or anxiety about, accessing
adequate food, but the quality, variety, and quantity of their food intake were not
substantially reduced.
Low food security—Households reduced the quality, variety, and desirability of their diets,
but the quantity of food intake and normal eating patterns were not substantially disrupted.
Very low food security—At times during the year, eating patterns of one or more household
members were disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacked money and
other resources for food.4
“Food security” includes high and marginal food security. “Food insecurity” includes low and
very low food security. Findings from the USDA-ERS report on 2011 food security5 include the
following rates of food security and food insecurity among U.S households:
• 14.9% of U.S. households were food insecure throughout 2010 (85.1% of U.S.
households were food secure). This was not a statistically significant difference
from 2010 rates, which were 14.5% and 85.5%, respectively.
• 5.7% had very low food security; about one-third of all food insecure households
have very low food security. This is a statistically significant increase from the
2010 rate of 5.4%. Increases in very low food security were greatest for
households of women living alone, black households, and households with
annual incomes below 185% of the poverty line.
• 8.4% of households that included an elderly member were food insecure. This
rate is a statistically significant increase from the 2010 rate of 7.9%.

3 Alisa Coleman-Jensen, Mark Nord, and Margaret Andrews et al., Household Food Security in the United States in
2011
, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, ERR-125, September 2011,
http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/884525/err141.pdf.
4 USDA-ERS website, “Food Security in the United States: Measuring Food Insecurity,” http://www.ers.usda.gov/
Briefing/FoodSecurity/measurement.htm.
5 Alisa Coleman-Jensen, Mark Nord, and Margaret Andrews et al., Household Food Security in the United States in
2011
, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, ERR-141, September 2012,
http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/884525/err141.pdf.
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Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs

• 57% of food insecure households reported that they had participated in the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), WIC, or National School Lunch
Program in the last month.
The annual rate of food insecurity for households was 11.1% in 2007, rose to 14.6% in 2008, and
since then has ranged from 14.5% to 14.9% (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Rate of Food Insecure Households, 1998-2011
Using USDA-ERS Analysis of Census CPS Data

Source: CRS adapted figure from Household Food Security in the United States in 2011, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Economic Research Service, ERR-125, September 2011 using USDA data.
Notes: “Very low food security” is a subset of “Food insecurity;” CPS = Current Population Survey.
Program Variation
There are a number of domestic food assistance programs. Although each of the 17 programs
discussed in this report provides for food in some way, the ways in which each program
accomplishes this goal vary. For example, programs vary with respect to the target population
(e.g., pregnant women, children, older individuals), eligibility requirements, and types of
assistance provided (e.g., commodity foods versus prepared meals), In an April 2011 report, the
Government Accountability Office (GAO) listed 70 programs that pertain to food and nutrition
but ultimately narrowed their study to a smaller subset of programs that focus on food assistance
or coordination of food assistance activities.6

6 U.S. Government Accountability Office, Domestic Food Assistance: Complex System Benefits Millions, but
(continued...)
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One way to examine this variation is to compare the eligible populations for these domestic food
assistance programs. For instance, the WIC program is available to children under the age of 5,
while the school meals programs (National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program)
become available to school-age children. Another way to examine this variation is to examine the
benefits that programs provide. Within this constellation of programs, federal resources provide
benefits redeemable for uncooked foods, cash assistance to support program operations, USDA-
purchased commodity foods (discussed further in the next section), and prepared meals. While
some programs provide specific foods (for example, through the federal and state requirements
for “food package” in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and WIC), the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) gives benefits that may be redeemed for a wide variety of
foods at authorized retailers. OAA programs provide prepared meals that not only assist those
who lack adequate resources to purchase food, but can also assist those who lack the functional
capacity to prepare a meal on their own.
The following sections of the report and the accompanying tables provide more details about the
services, eligibility, participation, and funding for each program. They help illustrate the
similarities and differences between the programs, including the extent to which they provide
similar or distinct forms of assistance to similar or distinct populations.

Note on Funding Data Used in This Report
FY2012 is the most recent full-year appropriation for the USDA-FNS and HHS-ACL programs discussed in this
report, and with a few exceptions, funding data included is based on FY2012 appropriations.
Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (P.L. 112-175) provides funding for these programs in FY2013 for the
period of October 1, 2012, through March 27, 2013. For the most part, the annualized level of funding is based on a
0.612% increase of FY2012 funds.
An exception is for programs in the USDA’s Commodity Assistance Program account for which P.L. 112-175
appropriates an annualized total of $253.9 million; this account includes the Commodity Supplemental Food Program,
administrative funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and the WIC Farmers’ Market
Nutrition Program. FY2013 funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is the only one for which
a definitive FY2013 figure can be given at this time.
Funding data in the tables to fol ow reflect FY2012 appropriations except for CSFP and several programs that are not
dependent on appropriations.

(...continued)
Additional Efforts Could Address Potential Inefficiency and Overlap among Smaller Programs, GAO-10-346, April
2010, pp. 51-53.
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Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs

USDA-FNS Programs
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS) administers domestic food
USDA Food Assistance Resources
assistance programs authorized in the

USDA-FNS Website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/
farm bill (Table 1),7 as well as WIC and
Program descriptions, press releases, current policy
Child Nutrition Programs (Table 2).
guidance and regulations, and participation and spending
Table 1 and Table 2 provide details on
data. Information is organized into SNAP, WIC, School
the USDA-FNS programs, including
Meals, Food Distribution, and other child nutrition
programs.
services provided, eligibility,
participation, and funding.

USDA-FNS Office of Research and Analysis:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/—USDA sponsored data,
research, and analysis on the participation and
The USDA-FNS national office works in
effectiveness of USDA-FNS programs.
concert with USDA’s regional offices8
and state agencies. With respect to SNAP

USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) Food
and Nutrition Assistance Products:

(formerly known as the Food Stamp
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Browse/view.aspx?subject=
Program), state agencies and legislatures
FoodNutritionAssistance—ERS provides research on
have a number of options and waivers
questions of food insecurity as well as program-specific
that can affect SNAP program operations
questions.
from state to state. USDA-FNS’s “SNAP
State Options” report illustrates how states are administering the program. 9 With respect to
school meals programs (National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program), state
departments of education and school districts play a role in administering these programs. WIC as
well as the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) are often co-administered by state and
local health departments.
As mentioned above, USDA commodity10 foods are foods purchased by the USDA for
distribution to USDA nutrition programs. The programs in this report that include USDA
commodity foods are The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), Commodity
Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Summer Food
Service Program (SFSP), and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). USDA commodity
foods are also provided to the HHS-ACL’s Nutrition Services Incentive Program (NSIP) (Table
3
). These programs distribute “entitlement commodities” (an amount of USDA foods to which
grantees are entitled by law) as well as “bonus commodities” (USDA food purchases based on
requests from the agricultural producer community).11

7 The Community Food Projects are administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
8 See also USDA-FNS website, “USDA Food and Nutrition Service Regional Offices,” http://www.fns.usda.gov/cga/
contacts/regioncontacts.htm.
9 USDA-FNS SNAP Program Development Division, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State Options
Report
, Ninth Edition, November 2010, http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/rules/Memo/Support/State_Options/9-
State_Options.pdf.
10 “Commodity” or “commodities” in the context of food assistance is broader and distinct from the term used to
describe corn, wheat, soybeans, etc. in the context of commodity support programs such as described in CRS Report
RL34594, Farm Commodity Programs in the 2008 Farm Bill, by Jim Monke.
11 For more on the procurement of USDA foods, see CRS Report RL34081, Farm and Food Support Under USDA’s
Section 32 Program
, by Jim Monke. For more information on FNS’s distribution of commodities, please see USDA-
FNS website, Food Distribution Programs and Services, http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/default.htm.
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These domestic food assistance programs have a historical, and in most respects, ongoing
relationship with farming and agriculture. For example, the first Food Stamp Program, a pilot
program in the 1940’s, sold orange and blue “food stamps” to program participants.12 While $1
would provide a program participant with $1 in value of “orange stamps” that could be spent on
any food, the program participant would also receive an additional 50 cents worth of “blue
stamps,” which could only be used to purchase agricultural products that were in surplus.
Commodity donation programs that supported the post-Depression farm economy were
precursors to the National School Lunch Program.13 TEFAP and several of the child nutrition
programs still benefit from USDA commodity foods as well as USDA’s donation of bonus
commodities, which USDA purchases based on agricultural producers’ identification of surplus
goods or need for price support. As a contemporary example, the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-246),
USDA initiatives, and current legislative proposals include efforts to promote “farm-to-school”
endeavors, seeking, for example, to facilitate school cafeterias’ purchasing from local and
regional farms.14
Farm Bill
Table 1 lists those programs that were most recently reauthorized in the 2008 farm bill. The
“farm bill” is an omnibus reauthorization and extension of dozens of farm, food, and nutrition
laws. Most recently, Congress passed the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-
246), which is referred to as the 2008 farm bill. The 2008 farm bill included 15 titles on topics
ranging from conservation, rural development, and research to horticulture.15 The nutrition title,
Title IV, included all of the programs listed in Table 1.
Farm bill nutrition programs have their authorizing language in the
• Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (originally P.L. 95-113, most recently amended
by P.L. 111-296),
• Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (originally P.L. 98-8, most recently
amended by P.L. 110-246), and
• Agriculture Consumer and Protection Act of 1973 (originally P.L. 93-86, most
recently amended by P.L. 110-246).
The primary food assistance program in the farm bill is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP). The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that close to 75% of the 2008
farm bill spending was in the nutrition title, Title IV. This is primarily due to the mandatory
money associated with SNAP. Formerly referred to as the Food Stamp Program, the federal
program name change to SNAP was included in the 2008 farm bill.

12 USDA-FNS website, “A Short History of SNAP,” http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/rules/Legislation/about.htm.
13 Gordon W. Gunderson, USDA-FNS Website, “The National School Lunch Program: Background and
Development,” http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/AboutLunch/ProgramHistory_4.htm.
14 USDA-FNS’s Farm-to-School Initiative is described on the agency website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/f2s/.
Further discussion of related policies can be found in CRS Report R42155, The Role of Local Food Systems in U.S.
Farm Policy
, by Renée Johnson, Randy Alison Aussenberg, and Tadlock Cowan.
15 For more information on the Omnibus Farm Bill, please consult CRS Report RS22131, What Is the Farm Bill?, by
Renée Johnson and Jim Monke.
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Farm bill nutrition programs have generally been under the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture
Committee and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.16 The 2008 farm bill expired
at the end of FY2012, and then was extended through the end of FY2013 in the American
Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (H.R. 8, enacted on January 3, 2013). During the period of
expiration, many of the farm bill nutrition programs continued to operate due to appropriations
actions. 17
WIC and Child Nutrition Programs
Table 2 lists the programs authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (P.L.
79-396) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (P.L. 108-269). Broadly, the programs contained in
these laws are the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
(WIC) as well as the “child nutrition programs.” “Child nutrition programs” is a category used to
describe the USDA-FNS programs that help to provide food for children in school or institutional
settings. The National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs provide a per-meal subsidy
for each meal that is served for free, for a reduced-price, or for a full-price (called a “paid” meal).
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
will, under certain circumstances, provide free meals or snacks to all the children at a site,
because it is the site (not the child) that is subject to eligibility criteria. The Fresh Fruit and
Vegetable Program (FFVP), or snack program (see Table 1), is sometimes referred to as a child
nutrition program. In this report, it is included in farm bill programs because FFVP was included
in the 2008 farm bill.
Generally, the WIC and Child Nutrition Programs are reauthorized for a five-year period. The
most recent reauthorization, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-296), was
signed into law in December 2010. It reauthorized these programs through FY2015. Policymakers
may play an oversight as USDA promulgates rules, releases guidance, and otherwise implements
the legislation.
Resources for Tracking the Implementation of
the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-296)
CRS Report R41354, Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization: P.L. 111-296, by Randy Alison
Aussenberg
: This report summarizes the most recent reauthorization section-by-section. Although the Senate
version of the legislation became law, the report also includes differences from the House bill.
USDA Resources:

USDA-FNS keeps a clearinghouse of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 resources and implementation
updates on the web: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/CNR_2010.htm.

USDA-FNS’s anticipated timeline for implementation can be found here: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/
Governance/Legislation/implementation_actions.pdf.
Federal Register—https://www.federalregister.gov/topics/nutrition—The Federal Register al ows you to browse by
topic. The nutrition listing, while not exclusively child nutrition or P.L. 111-296 news, gives a glimpse of related
notices.

16 The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, described in the table, was passed and financed by the 2008 farm bill. It
amended the Russell National School Lunch Act—a statute typically reauthorized elsewhere and in the jurisdiction of
the House Education and the Workforce committee.
17 Please see CRS Report R42442, Expiration and Possible Extension of the 2008 Farm Bill, by Jim Monke, Megan
Stubbs, and Randy Alison Aussenberg for a further discussion of issues of farm bill expiration, extension, and
appropriations.
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Table 1. Overview of Farm Bill Programs
FY2012
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Program Information
Funding
Administrative Entity
(in millions)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program)
Food and Nutrition Act (7 U.S.C. 2011
Description: Provides benefits (through the use of electronic benefit transfer cards) that supplement low-
$78,300, not
et seq.) / Administered by the U.S.
income recipients’ food purchasing power. Benefits vary by household size, income, and expenses (like shelter
including $1,856
Department of Agriculture’s Food and
and medical costs) and averaged $133 per person per month in FY2012. In lieu of SNAP benefits, (1) Puerto
for Puerto Rico,
Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS)
Rico operates a nutrition assistance block grant program using rules very similar to SNAP; (2) approximately
Indian
276 tribes (through 100 Indian Tribal Organizations and five state agencies) receive benefits through a food
reservations,
distribution program (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)) with eligibility rules close to
American Samoa,
SNAP; and (3) American Samoa and the Northern Marianas receive nutrition assistance block grants for
and the Northern
programs serving their low-income populations.
Marianas, and not
including TEFAP
Eligibility: In general, eligible households must meet a gross income test (monthly cash income below 130% of
commodities.
the federal poverty guidelines), net income (monthly cash income subtracting SNAP deductible expenses at or
below 100% of the federal poverty guidelines), liquid assets under $2,000 (assets under $3,000 if elderly or
disabled household members). However, households with elderly or disabled members do not have to meet
the gross income test. Recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance,
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or state-funded General Assistance are categorically eligible for SNAP. The
state option of broad-based categorical eligibility also allows for the modification of some SNAP eligibility rules
and has resulted in the vast majority of states not utilizing an asset test.
Data: In FY2012, SNAP had an average monthly participation of approximately 46.6 million individuals in 22.3
million households. In FY2011, average monthly participation was 44.7 million individuals in 21.1 million
households. Although this information is not yet available for FY2012, for FY2011, nearly half (45%) of
participants were under age 18, almost 9% were age 60 or older.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
The Food and Nutrition Act, Section 27
Description: Provides food commodities (and cash support for distribution costs) through states to local
$308
and The Emergency Food Assistance
emergency feeding organizations (e.g., food banks/pantries, soup kitchens) serving the low-income population.
Act, Section 204(a) (7 U.S.C. 2036 &

7508(a)) / Administered by USDA-FNS
Eligibility: States designate local emergency feeding organization recipients and establish income standards for
individual eligibility.
Data: Information on the number of recipients or the average value of benefits under TEFAP is not available.
Community Food Projects


Food and Nutrition Act, Section 25 (7
Competitive grants to nonprofit organizations for programs that improve access to locally produced food for
$5
U.S.C. 2034) / Administered by USDA-
low-income households. Eligibility for grants will vary according to request for applications.
National Institute of Food and
Agriculture
CRS-8


FY2012
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Program Information
Funding
Administrative Entity
(in millions)
Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Description: Provides supplemental monthly food packages (valued at approximately $25 a month) to low-
$177
Act of 1973, Section 4(a) (7 U.S.C. 612c
income elderly persons in projects located in 39 states, the District of Columbia, and several Indian
note) / Administered by USDA-FNS
reservations.
Eligibility: Elderly persons (age 60+) who have access to a local CSFP project and household income below
130% of the federal poverty guidelines as well as women, infants, and children with income below 185% of the
federal poverty guidelines. (States are prohibited from allowing dual participation in both WIC and CSFP.)
Data: In FY2012, average monthly CSFP participation was 594,000 individuals. Approximately 577,000, or 97%,
of the participants were over the age of 60.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)
Russell National School Lunch Act,
Description: Provides grants to schools to purchase fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to be provided during
$137a
Section 19 (42 U.S.C. 1769a) (expanded
the school day.
in Section 4304 of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
Eligibility: Program is nationwide in select schools. States are required to select elementary schools in which
(P.L. 110-246) / Administered by USDA-
50% or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Priority is placed on schools where
FNS
the highest proportion of children are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
Data: Information on the number of FFVP recipients is not available.
Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
Description: Provides grants to participating states to offer vouchers/coupons to low-income seniors that
$21
2008 (P.L. 110-246), Sec. 4231 (7 U.S.C.
may be used in farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and other approved venues to purchase fresh produce.
3007) / Administered by USDA-FNS
Eligibility: Income eligibility criteria are established by states.
Data: In FY2011, approximately 863,000 individuals in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and
seven Indian Tribal Organizations received annual SFMNP vouchers/coupons worth an average of $31.
Source: Prepared by CRS using USDA and P.L. 112-55 and P.L. 112-175 appropriations data.
Notes: FY2012 (Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012; P.L. 112-55) is, for the most part, the most recent ful -year appropriation for the USDA-
FNS programs. Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (P.L. 112-175) provides funding for FY2013 for the period of October 1, 2012, through March 27, 2013. For
more information regarding FY2012 appropriations, including FY2012 funding as compared to FY2011, please see CRS Report R41964, Agriculture and Related Agencies:
FY2012 Appropriations
, coordinated by Jim Monke. FY2013 appropriations are tracked in CRS Report R42596, Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2013 Appropriations, by Jim
Monke.
a. This is an approximation of FY2012, since the available amount is based in part on April 30, 2012, Consumer Price Index information. Also, general provisions in
appropriations laws, P.L. 112-10 and P.L. 112-55, altered the amount of available FFVP funding.
CRS-9


Table 2. Overview of WIC and Child Nutrition Programs
FY2012
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Program Information
Funding
Administrative Entity
(in millions)
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Child Nutrition Act, Section 17 (42 U.S.C.
Description: Provides supplemental, nutrient-rich foods; nutrition education and counseling; and
$6,620
1786) / Administered by USDA-FNS
breastfeeding promotion and support to low-income women, infants, and children. WIC benefits are
redeemable for a list of nutrient-rich foods specific to the participant’s eligibility category and medical
needs (for example, foods specifically recommended for an anemic pregnant woman). These foods are
specified in USDA-FNS regulations, although state agencies may further specify.
Eligibility: Pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age five with
household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines may be WIC eligible. Applicants
must be individually determined to be at “nutritional risk" by a health professional and must meet state
residency requirements. Applicants may also be categorically eligible based on receipt of TANF cash
assistance, SNAP, or Medicaid. (States are prohibited from allowing dual participation in both WIC and
CSFP.)
Data: In FY2011, an average monthly total of approximately 9.0 mil ion individuals participated in WIC—
4.8 million (53%) were children, 2.1 million (23%) were infants, and 2.1 million (23%) were women.
WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Child Nutrition Act, Section 17(m) (42 U.S.C.
Description: Provides grants to participating states to offer vouchers/coupons/EBT to WIC participants
$17
1786(m)) / Administered by USDA-FNS
that may be used in farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and other approved venues to purchase fresh
produce.
Eligibility: Women, infants over four months old, and children who are certified to receive WIC
Program benefits or who are on a waiting list for WIC certification are eligible to participate in the
FMNP.
Data: In FY2011, approximately 1.9 million WIC participants in 36 states, District of Columbia, Guam,
Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and six Indian Tribal Organizations received annual FMNP benefits worth an
average of $21 per year.
CRS-10


FY2012
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Program Information
Funding
Administrative Entity
(in millions)
School Breakfast Program (SBP)

Child Nutrition Act, Section 4 (42 U.S.C.
Description: Provides federal cash assistance for elementary and secondary schools that provide
$3,320a
1773) / Administered by USDA-FNS
breakfast to school children. Federal subsidies currently range from about 25 cents to $1.80 per meal
(depending on the type of meal/snack and the income of the recipient, with subsidies higher in Alaska and
Hawaii). Total amount of assistance is based on the number of free, reduced-price, and paid lunches
served.
Eligibility: Household income must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty guidelines for children to
receive a free meal, above 130% and below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines for children to receive
a reduced price meal. Direct certification allows household eligibility based on participation in SNAP,
TANF, or FDPIR (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations).
Data: In FY2012, an average of 12.8 million students (up from approximately 12.2 million in FY2011)
participated each school day; 9.8 million received a free breakfast, 1.0 million received a breakfast at
reduced price, and 2.0 million received a full-price (paid) meal.
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Russel National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
Description: Provides federal assistance, in the form of cash and commodities, to elementary and
$10,200a
1751 et seq.) / Administered by USDA-FNS
secondary schools that provide lunch to school children. Federal subsidies currently range from about 25
cents to $2.80 per meal (depending on the type of meal/snack and the income of the recipient, with
subsidies higher in Alaska and Hawaii). Total amount of assistance is based on the number of free,
reduced-price, and paid lunches served.
Eligibility: Household income must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty guidelines for children to
receive a free meal, and above 130% and below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines for children to
receive a reduced price meal. Direct certification allows household eligibility based on participation in
SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR.
Data: In FY2012, an average of 31.6 million students (down from approximately 31.8 million in FY2011)
participated each school day, 18.7 million received a free lunch, 2.8 million received a lunch at reduced
price, and 10.2 million received a full-price (paid) lunch.
CRS-11


FY2012
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Program Information
Funding
Administrative Entity
(in millions)
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
Russel National School Lunch Act, Section 13
Description: Provides federal cash assistance and some commodity foods to local public and private
$402a
(42 U.S.C. 1761) / Administered by USDA-
nonprofit “service institutions” running summer youth programs, camps, or other recreation sites that
FNS
serve low-income children during their summer break or during lengthy school-year breaks. Sites may be
schools, camps, community centers, and other organizations. Sponsors receive per-meal/snack subsidies
as well as assistance with operating costs.
Eligibility: At a participating site, free meals/snacks are served to all children under age 18.
Data: In FY2012, summer meals were served at over 38,000 sites to approximately 2.3 million children
and youth each summer day.
Special Milk Program
Child Nutrition Act, Section 3 (42 U.S.C.
Description: Provides public or nonprofit schools or child care institutions that do not participate in
$13a
1772) / Administered by the USDA-FNS
other federal meal programs with a per-half pint reimbursement for part of the cost of milk served to
children/students.
Eligibility: Any child at a participating school or half-day pre-kindergarten program can receive milk
through the Special Milk Program. Children may either buy milk or receive it free, depending on the
school’s choice of program options.
Data: In FY2012, approximately 60.8 million half-pints of milk were subsidized through the Special Milk
Program.
CRS-12


FY2012
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Program Information
Funding
Administrative Entity
(in millions)
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Richard B. Russel National School Lunch Act,
Description: Provides cash subsidies to participating child care centers, family day care homes, after-
$2,830a
Sec. 17(o) (42 U.S.C. 1766(o)) / Administered
school programs, and non-residential adult-care centers for the meals and snacks they serve to children,
by the USDA-FNS
the elderly, and chronical y disabled persons. In child care centers and non-residential adult-care settings,
per-meal/snack subsidy payments are the same as those for school meals and child care centers. Family
day care homes are reimbursed according to a tiered system. Federal subsidies currently range from
about 25 cents to $2.80 (depending on the type of meal/snack and the income of the recipient, with
higher subsidies in Alaska and Hawaii).
Eligibility: (Adult services) Elderly (age 60+) or chronical y disabled persons attending participating non-
residential adult-care centers. Both for-profit and nonprofit centers are eligible to participate. Adults are
eligible for free or reduced meals based on income guidelines that are the same as in school meals
programs. (Child care centers) Children’s eligibility for free and reduced-price meals and snacks is the
same as for school meals programs. (Day care homes) There is no requirement that meals and snacks
be served free or at reduced price. Instead, the homes receive a subsidy for every meal served; the size
of the subsidy is based on whether the home is a Tier I or Tier II home. Tiering is based on the low-
income status of the child care provider or the community in which the provider is located.
Data: In FY2012, the average daily participation of children and adults was approximately 3.4 million. Of
the 3.3 million children served, approximately 2.4 million were in child care centers and 825,000 were in
family day care homes.
Source: Prepared by CRS using USDA data and P.L. 112-55 appropriations data.
Notes: FY2012 (Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012; P.L. 112-55) is, for the most part, the most recent ful -year appropriation for the USDA-
FNS programs. Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (P.L. 112-175) provides funding for FY2013 for the period of October 1, 2012, through March 27, 2013. For
more information regarding FY2012 appropriations, including FY2012 funding as compared to FY2011, please see CRS Report R41964, Agriculture and Related Agencies:
FY2012 Appropriations
, coordinated by Jim Monke. FY2013 appropriations are tracked in CRS Report R42596, Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2013 Appropriations, by Jim
Monke.
a. Approximately $1.2 billion in FY2012 funding is for commodity procurement ($900 million), administrative costs, studies, and evaluations across multiple child nutrition
programs (school meals, summer food service, CACFP, special milk). This funding is not reflected in the per-program totals on this table.
CRS-13

Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs

HHS-ACL Programs
Administration on Aging (AOA) within the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS),
Administration for Community Living (ACL)18 administers domestic food assistance programs
authorized under the Older Americans Act (OAA). These programs provide formula grants to
states, U.S. territories, and Indian tribal organizations to support congregate and home-delivered
meals to older Americans.19 AOA also administers the Nutrition Services Incentive Program
(NSIP), which provides funds to the same entities to purchase food for these programs. While
OAA’s nutrition programs provide food assistance in the form of a prepared meal to older
individuals living in the community, the stated purpose of the program is not only to reduce
hunger and food insecurity, but also to promote socialization, as well as the health and well-being
of older individuals.20 Table 3 provides details on the HHS-ACL programs, including eligibility,
services provided, and funding.
Older individuals who meet certain income and other requirements may also be eligible for other
domestic food assistance programs administered by USDA, such as SNAP, the Senior Farmers’
Market Nutrition Program, and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Moreover,
other services funded under OAA may provide outreach and education to older individuals about
available benefits and programs, such as SNAP and CSFP. While the senior nutrition programs
are administered by AOA, there continues to be program coordination between AOA and USDA.
At the federal level, states and other entities may choose to receive all or part of their NSIP
allotments in the form of USDA commodities.21 Obligations for NSIP commodity procurement
are funded under an agreement between AOA and USDA.22
At the state level, states and tribal organizations may collaborate with USDA programs such as
CSFP, and can administer the adult component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program
(CACFP), which provides meals in adult day care settings.23 In a 2011 survey of State Units on
Aging (SUAs) and Disability, who are primarily responsible for administering funding for aging

18 On April 16, 2012, HHS Secretary Sebelius announced the creation of the Administration for Community Living
(ACL) which brings together the Administration on Aging, the Office of Disability, and the Administration on
Developmental Disabilities (renamed the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) into one
agency, http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/04/20120416a.html. For more information on the ACL, see
http://www.hhs.gov/acl/.
19 The Older Americans Act (OAA) statute defines “older individual” as an individual aged 60 and older. For more
information on programs and funding under the OAA, see CRS Report RL33880, Funding for the Older Americans Act
and Other Aging Services Programs
, by Angela Napili and Kirsten J. Colello. For more information on OAA nutrition
programs, see CRS Report RS21202, Older Americans Act: Title III Nutrition Services Program, by Kirsten J. Colello.
20 42 U.S.C. 3030e.
21 The Nutrition Services Incentive Program (NSIP) was originally established by the OAA in 1974 as the Nutrition
Program for the Elderly and administered by USDA. Congress transferred the administration of NSIP from USDA to
AOA in 2003. In 2006, pursuant to P.L. 109-365, Congress rescinded states’ option to receive commodities. However,
in 2007, this option was reinstated through P.L. 110-19 (effective April 23, 2007), which authorized the transfer of
NSIP funds from HHS to USDA for the purchase of commodities and related expenses.
22 Most entities choose to receive their share of funds in cash, rather than commodities. In FY2011, six states chose to
receive a portion of their share of the nutrition services incentive funds in commodities: Delaware, Idaho, Kansas,
Massachusetts, Montana, and Nevada. The FY2011 value for these commodities was just under $2.8 million (USDA,
FNS, 2013 Explanatory Notes, p. 30-140.)
23 U.S. Congress, Senate Special Committee on Aging, Seniors Going Hungry in America: A Call to Action and
Warning for the Future
, 110th Cong., 2nd sess., March 5, 2008, S.Hrg. 110–597 (Washington: GPO, 2008), p. 8.
Congressional Research Service
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Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs

and disability services, including OAA nutrition services, 40% reported their agency also receives
funding through USDA, among other sources of federal and state funding. A similar share of state
agencies reported administering the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. Fewer states
reported administering other USDA-FNS programs: SNAP (10 states), CACFP (6 states), TEFAP
(3 states), CSFP (6 states).24 Whether a state agency has some responsibility for administering
HHS and USDA-FNS programs and services can depend on whether the agency functions as an
independent administrative agency or part of an umbrella agency that also has responsibility for
other health and human services.
Congress has reauthorized and amended the OAA numerous times since it was first enacted in
1965. The last OAA reauthorization occurred in 2006, when Congress enacted the Older
Americans Act Amendments of 2006 (P.L. 109-365), which extended the act’s authorization of
appropriations through FY2011. Thus, the authorization of appropriations for most OAA
programs, including the senior nutrition programs, expired in FY2011. However, Congress has
continued to appropriate funding for FY2012 and FY2013 activities. The 113th Congress may
consider reauthorization of the OAA. In doing so, the committees of jurisdiction are the Senate
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the House Education and the
Workforce Committee.


24 National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities, State of the States Survey 2011: State Aging and
Disability Agencies in Times of Change
, January 2012.
Congressional Research Service
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Table 3. Overview of Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Programs
FY2012
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Program Information
Funding
Administrative Entity
(in millions)
Congregate Nutrition Program
Older Americans Act, Title III, Part C, Subpart
Description: Provides meals to seniors in settings such as senior centers, schools, and adult day care
$440
1 (42 U.S.C. 3030e) / HHS-ACL
centers. Offers social services such as nutrition education and screening, nutrition assessment, and
counseling at meals sites. Provides seniors with opportunities for social engagement and volunteerism.
Eligibility: The following groups are eligible: (1) persons age 60 or older and their spouses of any age;
(2) persons under age 60 with disabilities who reside in housing occupied by seniors where meals are
served; (3) persons with disabilities who reside at home with, and accompany, seniors to meals; and (4)
volunteers.
Data: In FY2010, 93.2 million congregate meals were served to more than 1.7 million participants.
Home Delivered Nutrition Program
Older Americans Act, Title III, Part C, Subpart
Description: Provides meals to seniors who are homebound. Offers services such as nutrition
$217
2 (42 U.S.C. 3030f) / HHS-ACL
screening and education, nutrition assessment, and counseling.
Eligibility: Persons age 60 or older and homebound and their spouses of any age. May be available to
individuals who are under age 60 with disabilities if they reside at home with the homebound senior.
Data: In FY2010, 143.4 million home-delivered meals were served to about 856,000 participants.
Grants to Native Americans: Supportive and Nutrition Services
Older Americans Act, Title VI, (42 U.S.C.
Description: Provides for the delivery of supportive and nutrition services comparable to services
$28
3057c) / HHS-ACL
provided under Title III (i.e., congregate and home-delivered meals) to older Native Americans.
Eligibility: Older individuals who are Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians.
Data: In FY2010, 2.0 million congregate meals were served to 50,000 participants and 2.4 million home-
delivered meals were served to 20,000 participants.
Nutrition Service Incentive Program (NSIP)
Older Americans Act, Title III, Part A, Sec. 311
Description: Provides funds to states, territories, and Indian Tribal Organizations to purchase food or
$161
(42 U.S.C. 3030a) / HHS-ACL
to cover the costs of food commodities provided by USDA for the congregate and home-delivered
nutrition programs. Funds are allotted to states and other entities based on each state’s share of total
meals served during the prior year. Most states choose to receive their share of funds in cash, rather
than commodities.a
Source: Prepared by CRS based on appropriations legislation and committee reports; program data from the Administration on Aging, AGing Integrated Database (AGID)
at http://www.agidnet.org/.
CRS-16


Notes: FY2012 is the most recent year in which full-year appropriations were made, and the table reflects these appropriations levels. The Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2013 (CR, P.L. 112-175) provides funding for FY2013 for the period of October 1, 2012 through March 27, 2013. For more information on programs and
funding under the OAA, see CRS Report RL33880, Funding for the Older Americans Act and Other Aging Services Programs, by Angela Napili and Kirsten J. Colello; for more
information on OAA nutrition programs, see CRS Report RS21202, Older Americans Act: Title III Nutrition Services Program, by Kirsten J. Colello.
a. In FY2011, six states chose to receive a portion of their share of the nutrition services incentive funds in commodities: Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts,
Montana, and Nevada. The FY2011 value for these commodities was just under $2.8 million (USDA, FNS, 2013 Explanatory Notes, p. 30-140).

CRS-17

Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs


Author Contact Information

Randy Alison Aussenberg
Kirsten J. Colello
Analyst in Nutrition Assistance Policy
Specialist in Health and Aging Policy
raussenberg@crs.loc.gov, 7-8641
kcolello@crs.loc.gov, 7-7839

Area of Expertise by Author

Area of Expertise
Name
Phone
E-mail
USDA-FNS Programs
Randy Alison Aussenberg
7-8641
raussenberg@crs.loc.gov
HHS-AOA Programs
Kirsten J. Colel o
7-7839
kcolello@crs.loc.gov


Congressional Research Service
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