Domestic Food Assistance:
Summary of Programs
Randy Alison Aussenberg
Specialist in Nutrition Assistance Policy
Kirsten J. Colello
Specialist in Health and Aging Policy
February 4, 2015
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R42353
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 most recently reauthorized by the 2014 farm bill (the Agricultural Act of 2014; P.L.
113-79). 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 Services 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 ...................................................................................................................... 15
Figures
Figure 1. Rate of Food Insecure Households, 1998-2013 ............................................................... 3
Tables
Table 1. Overview of Farm Bill Programs ....................................................................................... 9
Table 2. Overview of WIC and Child Nutrition Programs ............................................................ 11
Table 3. Overview of Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Programs ....................................... 17
Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 19
Area of Expertise by Author .......................................................................................................... 19
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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 (OAA) 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 in this discussion. 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 2013 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 2013 (“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 security—Households 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 2013 food security include the
following rates of food security and food insecurity among U.S households: 5
• 14.3% of U.S. households were food insecure throughout 2013 (85.7% of U.S.
households were food secure). This was not a statistically significant difference
from 2012 rates, which were 14.5% and 85.7%, respectively.
• 5.6% had very low food security; about one-third of all food insecure households
have very low food security. This is not a statistically significant difference from
the 2012 rate of 5.7%.
• 8.7% of households that included an elderly member were food insecure. This is
not a statistically significant decrease from 8.8% in 2012.
• 19.5% of households that included children were food insecure.6 This rate is not a
statistically significant decrease from 20.0% in 2012.
3 Alisa Coleman-Jensen, Christian Gregory, and Anita Singh, Household Food Security in the United States in 2013,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, ERR-173, September 2014, http://www.ers.usda.gov/
publications/err-economic-research-report/err173.aspx. Refer to this USDA-ERS report for additional measures of food
security (e.g., regions, states, or populations of interest).
4 USDA-ERS website, http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/
measurement.aspx.
5 Alisa Coleman-Jensen, Christian Gregory, and Anita Singh, Household Food Security in the United States in 2013,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, ERR-173, September 2014, http://www.ers.usda.gov/
publications/err-economic-research-report/err173.aspx.
6 These households may include food insecure adults, children, or both.
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• 62% of food insecure households reported that they had participated in the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), WIC, or National School Lunch
programs in the last month. (57% reported participation in 2011.)
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 14.3% to 14.9% (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Rate of Food Insecure Households, 1998-2013
Using USDA-ERS Analysis of Census CPS Data
Source: CRS adapted figure from Household Food Security in the United States in 2013, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Economic Research Service, ERR-173, September 2014 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 2010 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.7
7 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
For the most part, the tables to fol ow display full-year FY2015 appropriations (provided by P.L. 113-235, enacted
December 16, 2014).
For the USDA-FNS programs that are open-ended mandatory programs (e.g., SNAP and the Child Nutrition
Programs), the tables include FY2014 obligated spending, since that measure better reflects program funding. USDA
programs that are funded through transfers and not appropriations (e.g., the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program,
Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program) are noted accordingly. Appropriations for the USDA-FNS open-ended
mandatory programs are listed in CRS Report R43669, Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2015 Appropriations,
coordinated by Jim Monke.
Section 7 of P.L. 113-235 gives the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) authority to adjust funding within certain
bounds, in the event that discretionary spending limits are exceeded due to “estimating differences.” This report’s
FY2015 appropriations amounts do not reflect any such adjustments that may be made by OMB.
(...continued)
Additional Efforts Could Address Potential Inefficiency and Overlap among Smaller Programs, GAO-10-346, April
2010, pp. 51-53.
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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/ —
farm bill (Table 1),8 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 Policy Support, Research and
Analysis: http://www.fns.usda.gov/ops/research-and-
analysis—USDA sponsored data, research, and analysis on
The USDA-FNS national office works in
the participation and effectiveness of USDA-FNS
concert with USDA’s regional offices9
programs.
and state agencies. With respect to SNAP
•
USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) Food
(formerly known as the Food Stamp
and Nutrition Assistance Products:
Program), state agencies and legislatures
http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-
have a number of options and waivers
assistance.aspx#.Uz25-oW2qZQ—ERS provides research
that can affect SNAP program operations
on questions of food insecurity as well as program-specific
from state to state. USDA-FNS’s “SNAP
questions.
State Options” report illustrates how
states are administering the program. 10 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 commodity11 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).12
8 The Community Food Projects are administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
9 See also USDA-FNS website, “FNS Regional Offices,” http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns-regional-offices.
10 USDA-FNS SNAP Program Development Division, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State Options
Report, Tenth Edition, August 2012, http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/10-State_Options.pdf .
11 “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
R43448, Farm Commodity Provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79), by Dennis A. Shields.
12 For more on the procurement of USDA foods, see CRS Report RL34081, Farm and Food Support Under USDA’s
Section 32 Program, by Dennis A. Shields. 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/food-distribution-
programs.
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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.13 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.14 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 2014 farm bill (P.L. 113-79),
most recent child nutrition reauthorization (P.L. 111-296), and USDA initiatives include efforts to
promote “farm-to-school” endeavors, seeking, for example, to facilitate school cafeterias’
purchasing from local and regional farms.15
Farm Bill
Table 1 lists those programs that were most recently reauthorized by the 2014 farm bill. The
“farm bill” is an omnibus reauthorization and extension of dozens of farm, food, and nutrition
laws. Most recently, Congress passed the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79), which is
referred to as the 2014 farm bill. The 2014 farm bill included 12 titles on topics ranging from
conservation, rural development, and research to horticulture.16 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 79% of the 2014
farm bill spending was in the nutrition title, Title IV.17 This is primarily due to the mandatory
13 USDA-FNS website, “A Short History of SNAP,” http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/rules/Legislation/about.htm.
14 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.
15 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.
16 For more information on the Omnibus Farm Bill, please consult CRS Report RS22131, What Is the Farm Bill?, by
Renée Johnson and Jim Monke. For a summary of all titles of the 2014 farm bill, see CRS Report R43076, The 2014
Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79): Summary and Side-by-Side, coordinated by Ralph M. Chite.
17 Table 3 of CBO estimate of H.R. 2642, Agricultural Act of 2014, http://cbo.gov/publication/45049 (January 28,
2014). See also CRS Report R42484, Budget Issues That Shaped the 2014 Farm Bill, by Jim Monke.
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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 (P.L. 110-246).
Farm bill nutrition programs have generally been under the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture
Committee and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.18 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 (P.L. 112-240, enacted on January 3, 2013), but that extension
expired at the end of FY2013. The 112th and 113th Congresses worked to formulate and pass a
new farm bill; ultimately, Congress passed the 2014 farm bill, which was enacted on February 7,
2014.19 During periods of expiration, many of the farm bill nutrition programs continued to
operate due to appropriations actions. 20
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 role as USDA promulgates rules, releases guidance, and otherwise
implements the legislation. Many of the provisions from that law will expire at the end of this
fiscal year (i.e., after September 30, 2015), so the 114th Congress may formulate a new
reauthorization. WIC and the child nutrition programs have generally been under the jurisdiction
of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Senate Committee on
Agriculture and Forestry. See CRS Report R43783, School Meals Programs and Other USDA
Child Nutrition Programs: A Primer, by Randy Alison Aussenberg for further data and
operational details on the child nutrition programs.
18 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.
19 See CRS Report R43076, The 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79): Summary and Side-by-Side, coordinated by Ralph M.
Chite for a summary of these legislative developments.
20 See CRS Report R42442, Expiration and Extension of the 2008 Farm Bill, by Jim Monke, Randy Alison
Aussenberg, and Megan Stubbs.
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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/school-meals/healthy-hunger-free-kids-act.
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.
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Table 1. Overview of Farm Bill Programs
FY2015
(or FY2014, as
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
noted) Funding
Administrative Entity
Program Information
(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-
$73,756b
et seq.) / Administered by the U.S.
income recipients’ food purchasing power. Benefits vary by household size, income, and expenses (like shelter
Department of Agriculture’s Food and
and medical costs) and averaged $125 per person per month in FY2014. In lieu of SNAP benefits, (1) Puerto
Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS)
Rico operates a nutrition assistance block grant program using rules very similar to SNAP; (2) Indian Tribal
Organizations and some state agencies administer a food distribution program on Indian reservations and in
other Native American communities (Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)), with
eligibility rules close to SNAP; and (3) American Samoa and the Northern Marianas receive nutrition assistance
block grants for programs serving their low-income populations.
Eligibility: In general, eligible households must meet a gross income test (monthly cash income below 130% of
the federal poverty guidelines), net income (monthly cash income subtracting SNAP deductible expenses at or
below 100% of the federal poverty guidelines), (for FY2015) liquid assets under $2,250 (assets under $3,250 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.a
Data: In FY2014, SNAP had an average monthly participation of approximately 46.5 million individuals in 22.7
million households. In FY2013, average monthly participation was 47.6 million individuals in 23.1 million
households. Although this information is not yet available for FY2014, for FY2013, approximately 44% of
participants were under age 18, and 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
$376c
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.
CRS-9
FY2015
(or FY2014, as
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
noted) Funding
Administrative Entity
Program Information
(in millions)
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
$9
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
Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Description: Provides supplemental monthly food packages (valued at approximately $25 a month) to low-
$212
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 through two Indian Tribal
note) / Administered by USDA-FNS
Organizations (ITOs).
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.) (P.L.
113-79 reauthorized the program as seniors-only; women, infants, and children may continue to participate
only if they had been participating prior to implementation of this change.)
Data: In FY2014, average monthly CSFP participation was almost 574,000 individuals. Approximately 564,000,
or 98%, of the participants were over the age of 60.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)
Russel National School Lunch Act,
Description: Provides grants to schools to purchase fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to be provided during
$160d
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
50% or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Priority is placed on schools where
(P.L. 110-246) / Administered by
the highest proportion of children are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
USDA-FNS
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
$21e
2008 (P.L. 110-246), Sec. 4231 (7
may be used in farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and other approved venues to purchase fresh produce.
U.S.C. 3007) / Administered by USDA-
Eligibility: Income eligibility criteria are established by states.
FNS
Data: In FY2013, nearly 836,000 individuals in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and seven
Indian Tribal Organizations received annual SFMNP vouchers/coupons worth an average of $31.
CRS-10
Source: Prepared by CRS based on FY2015 appropriations information provided by P.L. 113-235 and the Appropriations Committees’ accompanying joint explanatory
statement; exceptions and further details are provided in the notes below. FY2014 obligations and other program data are from USDA-FNS data sources found through
http://www.fns.usda.gov/data-and-statistics (as of January 9, 2015) or the FY2015 USDA-FNS Budget Explanatory Notes (http://www.obpa.usda.gov/32fns2015notes.pdf).
a. For a summary of the non-financial eligibility rules, see CRS Report R42505, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A Primer on Eligibility and Benefits, by Randy
Alison Aussenberg.
b. FY2014 obligations data for SNAP are included here. As an open-ended appropriated mandatory program, SNAP’s funding is largely based on the demand for program’s
benefits and services.
c. Total includes FY2015 appropriated funding for entitlement commodities ($327 million) and administrative costs ($49.4 million); total does not include USDA’s bonus
commodity donations.
d. FFVP funding is permanently authorized to receive an annual transfer of $150 million (plus an annual adjustment for inflation) from the Section 32 account. However,
since FY2009, appropriations laws have delayed the transfer, which impacts the amount of funding actual y available for the program in a given fiscal year. Amount
shown in the table is based on USDA-FNS’s 2014-2015 school year funding information for this program (http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FFVPFactSheet.pdf).
e. Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) funding is provided by a transfer from the Commodity Credit Corporation; the transfer is authorized by the
program’s authorizing language. SFMNP is not funded by appropriations. Amount shown is authorized transfer amount for FY2015.
Table 2. Overview of WIC and Child Nutrition Programs
FY2015
(or FY2014, as
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
noted) Funding
Administrative Entity
Program Information
(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
$6,623
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 FY2014, an average monthly total of approximately 8.3 mil ion individuals (down from 8.7
mil ion in FY2013) participated in WIC. This includes an average monthly total of 4.3 million (52%)
children, 2.0 million (24%) infants, and 2.0 million (24%) women.
CRS-11
FY2015
(or FY2014, as
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
noted) Funding
Administrative Entity
Program Information
(in millions)
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
$16.5
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 FY2013, approximately 1.6 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.
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
$3,656a
1773) / Administered by USDA-FNS
breakfast to school children. Federal subsidies currently range from about 30 cents to $2.00 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: Children are eligible to receive free school breakfasts if their family income is below 130% of
federal poverty guidelines, or if they receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or services, or if they are in foster care,
migrant, runaway, or homeless. Children are eligible to receive reduced-price school breakfasts if their
family income is between 130% and 185% of federal poverty guidelines. Schools with 40% or more of
students identified as categorically eligible for free meals may serve free meals to all students at the
school.
Data: In FY2014, an average of 13.5 million students (up from approximately 13.1 million in FY2013)
participated each school day; 10.4 million received a free breakfast, 1.0 million received a breakfast at
reduced price, and 2.1 million received a full-price (paid) meal.
CRS-12
FY2015
(or FY2014, as
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
noted) Funding
Administrative Entity
Program Information
(in millions)
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
$12,584a
1751 et seq.) / Administered by USDA-FNS
secondary schools that provide lunch to school children. Federal subsidies currently range from about 30
cents to $3.00 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: Children are eligible to receive free school lunches if their household income is below 130%
of federal poverty guidelines, or if they receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or services, or if they are in foster care,
migrant, runaway, or homeless. Children are eligible to receive reduced-price school lunches if their
household income is between 130% and 185% of federal poverty guidelines. Schools with 40% or more of
students identified as categorically eligible for free meals may serve free meals to all students at the
school.
Data: In FY2014, an average of 30.3 million students (down from approximately 30.6 million in FY2013)
participated each school day, 19.1 million received a free lunch, 2.5 million received a lunch at reduced
price, and 8.7 million received a full-price (paid) lunch.
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
$461a
(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: Children age 18 or younger and certain individuals with disabilities over the age of 18, who
live in low-income areas where at least half the children are from families with incomes below 185% of
federal poverty guidelines (open sites), or who are enrolled in an activity program where half the children
are from families with incomes below 185% of federal poverty guidelines (enrol ed sites), and children
from families with incomes below 185% of federal poverty guidelines at participating camps. Automatically
eligible are homeless or runaway children and children in Head Start, Early Head Start, Even Start, or
state-funded pre-kindergarten programs that have received authorized waivers.
Data: In FY2014, summer meals were served at nearly 45,000 sites to over 2.6 million children and
youth each summer day.
CRS-13
FY2015
(or FY2014, as
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
noted) Funding
Administrative Entity
Program Information
(in millions)
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
$11a
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 FY2014, approximately 49.8 million half-pints of milk were subsidized through the Special Milk
Program.
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Russel National School Lunch Act, Section 17
Description: Provides cash subsidies to participating child care centers, family day care homes, after-
$3,112a
(42 U.S.C. 1766)) / Administered by the
school programs, and non-residential adult-care centers for the meals and snacks they serve to children,
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: (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. (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.
Data: In FY2014, the average daily participation of children and adults was approximately 3.8 million. Of
the 3.7 million children served, approximately 2.9 million were in child care centers and 776,000 were in
family day care homes.
Source: Prepared by CRS based on FY2015 appropriations information provided by P.L. 113-235 and the Appropriations Committees’ accompanying joint explanatory
statement; exceptions and further details are provided in the notes below. FY2014 obligations and other program data are from USDA-FNS data sources found through
http://www.fns.usda.gov/data-and-statistics (as of January 9, 2015) or the FY2015 USDA-FNS Budget Explanatory Notes (http://www.obpa.usda.gov/32fns2015notes.pdf).
a. FY2014 obligations data for each of the child nutrition programs are included here. These are open-ended appropriated mandatory programs and their funding is largely
based on the demand for program’s benefits and services. Obligation data includes USDA commodity foods costs and other support costs where appropriate.
CRS-14
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)21 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.22 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.23 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.24 Obligations for NSIP commodity procurement
are funded under an agreement between AOA and USDA.25
States and tribal organizations may also collaborate with USDA programs such as CSFP, and
states can administer the adult component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP),
which provides meals in adult day care settings.26 In a 2014 survey of State Aging and Disability
Agencies, who are primarily responsible for administering funding for aging and disability
21 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/.
22 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 R43414, Older Americans Act (OAA): In Brief,
by Kirsten J. Colello and Angela Napili. For more information on OAA nutrition programs, see CRS Report RS21202,
Older Americans Act: Title III Nutrition Services Program, by Kirsten J. Colello.
23 42 U.S.C. 3030e.
24 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.
25 Most entities choose to receive their share of funds in cash, rather than commodities. In FY2014, eight states chose to
receive a portion of their share of the nutrition services incentive funds in commodities: Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho,
Kansas, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, and Oklahoma. The FY2014 value for these commodities was $1.9 million
(USDA, FNS, 2016 Explanatory Notes, p. 32-150).
26 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
15
Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs
services, including OAA nutrition services, one-third reported that the State Aging and/or
Disability Agency also received funding through USDA, among other sources of federal and state
funding. Twenty-eight State Aging and/or Disability Agencies reported administering the Senior
Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. Fewer states reported administering other USDA-FNS
programs: CACFP (6 states), TEFAP (5 states), CSFP (7 states).27 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 OAA activities. In the 114th Congress, comprehensive OAA
reauthorization legislation has been introduced in the Senate. S. 192 would extend the
authorizations of appropriations for most OAA programs, including the nutrition programs, for
three years through FY2018 and would make various amendments to existing OAA authorities.
On January 28, 2015, the Senate HELP Committee ordered S. 192, the Older Americans Act
Reauthorization Act of 2015, reported favorably. To date, no legislative action to reauthorize the
OAA has occurred in the House of Representatives in the 114th Congress.28
27 National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities, State of the States in Aging and Disability: 2014
Survey of State Agencies, 2014.
28 The committee of jurisdiction is the House Education and the Workforce Committee.
Congressional Research Service
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Table 3. Overview of Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Programs
FY2015
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Funding
Administrative Entity
Program Information
(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
$438
1 (42 U.S.C. 3030e) / Administered by HHS-
centers. Offers social services such as nutrition education and screening, nutrition assessment, and
ACL
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 FY2012, 86.3 million congregate meals were served to more than 1.6 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
$216
2 (42 U.S.C. 3030f) / Administered by HHS-
screening and education, nutrition assessment, and counseling.
ACL
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 FY2012, 137.4 million home-delivered meals were served to about 851,000 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
$26
3057c) / Administered by 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 FY2012, 2.4 million congregate meals were served to 49,000 participants and 2.7 million
home-delivered meals were served to 22,000 participants.
FY2015
Authorizing Legislation / Federal
Funding
Administrative Entity
Program Information
(in millions)
Nutrition Services 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
$160
(42 U.S.C. 3030a) / Administered by 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 FY2015 appropriations information provided by P.L. 113-235 and the Appropriations Committees’ accompanying joint explanatory
statement. Program data are from the Administration on Aging, AGing Integrated Database (AGID), http://www.agid.acl.gov/.
Notes: For more information on programs and funding under the OAA, see CRS Report R43414, Older Americans Act (OAA): In Brief, by Kirsten J. Colello and Angela
Napili; for more information on OAA nutrition programs, see CRS Report RS21202, Older Americans Act: Title III Nutrition Services Program, by Kirsten J. Colel o.
a. In FY2014, eight states chose to receive a portion of their share of the nutrition services incentive funds in commodities: Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas,
Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, and Oklahoma. The FY2014 value for these commodities was $1.9 million (USDA, FNS, 2016 Explanatory Notes, p. 32-150).
Domestic Food Assistance: Summary of Programs
Author Contact Information
Randy Alison Aussenberg
Kirsten J. Colello
Specialist 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-ACL Programs
Kirsten J. Colel o
7-7839
kcolello@crs.loc.gov
Congressional Research Service
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