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Updated February 26, 2021
Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR): An Overview
Introduction
example, the law created the Community Eligibility
Child nutrition reauthorization (CNR) refers to Congress’s
Provision, an option within NSLP/SBP that allows eligible
process of making changes to the permanent statutes that
schools to provide free meals to all students. The law also
authorize the child nutrition programs, the Special
required USDA to update the nutrition standards for school
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
meals and establish nutrition standards for other foods sold
Children (WIC), and related activities:
in schools during the school day. For WIC, the law included
the requirement that states transition, by October 1, 2020,
the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act,
from their primarily paper voucher-based WIC benefits to
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, and
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT). In some cases, the new
(less often) Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935,
policies were described within the statute; in other cases,
which transfers funds to the child nutrition programs
the details were laid out in USDA-promulgated regulations.
annually.
Recent Reauthorization Efforts
The most recent CNR was the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids
During the 114th Congress, the committees then exercising
Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-296). Some of the authorities created
jurisdiction (the House Education and Workforce
or extended in that law expired on September 30, 2015.
Committee and Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
However, the vast majority of program operations have
Committee) marked up CNR bills but reauthorization was
continued with funding provided by appropriations acts.
not completed (see CRS Report R44373, Track ing Child
Programs Typically Included in CNR
Nutrition Reauthorization in the 114th Congress: An
Overview).
CNR typically includes WIC, the WIC Farmers’ Market
Nutrition Program (FMNP), and the following child
Categorization of Programs’ Funding
nutrition programs:
Most of the WIC and child nutrition programs’ funding
National School Lunch Program (NSLP);
requires annual appropriations:
School Breakfast Program (SBP);
Most child nutrition program funding is appropriated
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP);
mandatory spending based on formulas and criteria in
the authorizing laws (e.g., the programs ’ per-meal
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP); and
reimbursements).
Special Milk Program (SMP).
Some smaller child nutrition grants and activities
CNR also covers a number of smaller grant programs and
(e.g., Team Nutrition) are funded with discretionary
support activities, such the Farm to School Grant Program
appropriations.
and funding for states’ administrative expenses associated
with operating certain programs .
WIC and WIC FMNP funds are discretionary.
Table 1 provides a short description of each of the major
Have the Programs Expired?
programs typically included in CNR.
Many child nutrition programs are permanently authorized
Related Policies in the Farm Bil
and have permanent authorizations of appropriations (they
have no expiration date). This is the case for the main
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP),
functions of NSLP, SBP, CACFP, and SMP.
authorized in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act, has been amended by both CNR and farm bills,
In other cases—such as SFSP, WIC, WIC FMNP, and
including the 2004 CNR and farm bills in 2008 and 2014.
funding for states’ administrative expenses—the authority
The 2010 CNR and the 2018 farm bill did not amend FFVP.
for the programs themselves is permanent, but their
authorizations of appropriations expired on September 30,
In addition, farm bills sometimes include provisions related
2015. In such cases, the programs and activities may still
to food purchasing and distribution in child nutrition
operate if funding is provided in appropriations acts, which
programs. The 2018 farm bill (P.L. 115-334), the most
has been the case in each of FY2016 through FY2021.
recent farm bill, extended funding for USDA’s purchase of
fresh fruits and vegetables for child nutrition programs and
A few pilot programs and temporary activities expired on
required USDA to enforce “Buy American” (domestic
September 30, 2015, and were not always extended. A
purchasing) rules for schools participating in NSLP/SBP.
California program to provide SFSP snacks year-round was
not extended. USDA’s authority to conduct food safety
Last Reauthorization
audits and funding for a National Hunger Clearinghouse
was not extended in FY2016 but was subsequently
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-296)
extended by appropriations acts in each of FY2017 through
included a number of new and revised policies. For
FY2021.
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Table 1. Child Nutrition and WIC Programs at a Glance
FY2020
FY2020
Authorizing Statute
Expenditures
Participation
(Year First
(exceptions
(exceptions
Program
Authorized)
Description
noted)
noted)
National School Lunch Richard B. Russel
Provides federal reimbursements for lunches $10.4 bil ion
21.0 mil ion
Program (NSLP)
National School Lunch Act served in participating pre-K-12 schools.
average daily
(1946)
Options for schools to provide afterschool
lunches served
snacks and summer lunches through NSLP.
School Breakfast
Child Nutrition Act
Provides reimbursements for breakfasts
$3.6 bil ion
11.5 mil ion
Program (SBP)
(1966)
served in participating schools (also pre-K-12).
average daily
Option for schools to provide summer
breakfasts served
breakfasts.
Child and Adult Care
Richard B. Russel
Provides reimbursements for meals and
$3.0 bil ion
4.1 mil ion
Food Program (CACFP) National School Lunch Act snacks in child care centers, day care homes,
children and
(1968)
and adult day care centers. Rules and funding
106,700 adults
differ based on type of institution.
(daily average)a
Summer Food Service
Richard B. Russel
Provides reimbursements for meals and
$4.1 bil ion
4.7 mil ion
Program (SFSP)
National School Lunch Act snacks served by nonprofit organizations and
children (daily
(1968)
schools during the summer months. Eligibility
average)a
rules vary by type of meal site.
Special Milk Program
Child Nutrition Act
Provides reimbursements for milk in schools $3.7 mil ion
71,800 half-pints
(SMP)
(1954)
and institutions that do not participate in
served on average
other child nutrition programs.
dailyb
Special Supplemental
Child Nutrition Act
Provides benefits redeemable for
$6.0 bil ion
6.2 mil ion
Nutrition Program for
(1974)
supplemental foods as wel as nutrition
(FY2021
recipients
Women, Infants, and
counseling and breastfeeding support to
appropriations)c
(monthly average)
Children (WIC)
pregnant/breastfeeding/postpartum women,
infants, and children (under five years old).
WIC Farmers’ Market
Child Nutrition Act
Provides vouchers for WIC participants to
$21.0 mil ion
1.6 mil ion
Nutrition Program
(1992)
redeem at farmers’ markets.
(FY2021
recipients total in
(WIC FMNP)
appropriations)
FY2019
Fresh Fruit and
Richard B. Russel
Provides funding for fresh fruit and vegetable $193.5 mil ion
Not available
Vegetable Program
National School Lunch Act snacks in elementary schools, with priority for (FY2020 al ocation
(FFVP)
(2002)
low-income schools.
to states)d
Source: Except as noted, FY2020 participation and funding data from USDA-FNS Keydata Report, January 2021, based on data through
September 2020. WIC, WIC FMNP FY2021 appropriations from P.L. 116-260.
Notes: Many programs experienced declines in funding and participation in FY2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
a. Average daily participation is estimated by USDA based on the number of meals served and program operating days. Estimates ma y
be less reliable in FY2020 since operating days have varied during the COVID-19 pandemic.
b. Estimated by CRS based on the number of half pints served per month divided by an estimated 20 operating days per month.
c. Division A, Title VII, Section 722 of P.L. 116-260 also rescinded $1.25 bil ion in prior-year carryover funding.
d. USDA-FNS, “FFVP: Al ocation of FY2020 Funds,” SP 29-2019, May 2019.
CRS Reports for Further Information
CRS Report R44373, Track ing Child Nutrition
Reauthorization in the 114th Congress: An Overview
CRS Report R42353, Domestic Food Assistance: Summary
of Programs
CRS Report R41354, Child Nutrition and WIC
CRS Report R46681, USDA Nutrition Assistance
Reauthorization: P.L. 111-296
Programs: Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
CRS Report RL34081, Farm and Food Support Under
CRS Report R46234, School Meals and Other Child
USDA’s Section 32 Program
Nutrition Programs: Background and Funding
Kara Clifford Billings, Analyst in Social Policy
CRS Report R44115, A Primer on WIC: The Special
Randy Alison Aussenberg, Specialist in Nutrition
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children
Assistance Policy
IF10266
CRS Report R45486, Child Nutrition Programs: Issues in
the 115th Congress
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR): An Overview
Disclaimer
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