Roberts Applauds School Nutrition Flexibilities Extension

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today applauded U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue’s announcement of five federal school nutrition program flexibilities through June 30, 2021.

“I thank Secretary Perdue for providing certainty to school food service operators that flexibilities will remain available through the upcoming school year as they re-design the way meals are provided to children when schools re-open,” said Roberts.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is extending four nationwide Child Nutrition waivers and one new nationwide waiver to ensure children receive the nutritious food they need during the upcoming school year. 

The following nationwide waivers will remain in effect through June 30, 2021, for the School Breakfast Program, the National School Lunch Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. These flexibilities allow for: 

• Meals that do not meet normal meal pattern requirements when necessary to keep kids fed
• Meals to be served outside of group settings and outside of standard times to facilitate grab-and-go and other alternate service options
• Parent/guardian pick-up of meals for students participating in distance learning.  

The one new nationwide waiver through June 30, 2021, applies to the National School Lunch Program’s “offer versus serve” requirement for high schools, which would be difficult to execute while maintaining social distancing, particularly if meals are prepackaged for in-classroom or grab-and-go service.

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