USDA Allocates $1.5 Billion for School Meals

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a $1.5 billion allocation to ease the impact of supply chain disruptions and the pandemic on U.S. schools. The dollars will go toward school lunches and other school meals at 100,000 schools, where higher food prices have been a significant problem along with shortages of menu items. $1 billion will be used for actual purchasing of food, while $300 million will go toward U.S.-produced foods for distribution to schools. The additional $200 million will be for purchasing locally produced foods for distribution to schools.

Annually, USDA spends roughly $25 billion per year on child nutrition programs, with school lunch as the largest program. However, a survey of food directors with the School Nutrition Association reports only half of food directors say the reimbursements cover the cost.

Read more on school nutrition programs and USDA funding here.