[United States Government Manual] [May 31, 1996] [Pages 124-126] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services This mission area of USDA ensures access to nutritious, healthful diets for all Americans. It coordinates USDA's consumer education and outreach activities, encourages consumer involvement in USDA policymaking, and ensures that USDA adequately addresses consumer concerns and interests. It also emphasizes increasing the use of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), to [[Page 125]] eliminate paper coupons and instead provide the recipient with a plastic card and personal identification number that functions like money. With EBT, no money and no Food Stamps change hands at the grocery checkout counter, and all accounting is done electronically. Under the USDA reorganization legislation, a center for nutrition policy and education was created, underscoring the Department's commitment to nutrition and nutrition education. Food and Consumer Service [For the Food and Consumer Service statement of organization, see the Federal Register of June 6, 1970, 35 FR 8835] The Food and Consumer Service is the agency of the Department that administers the programs to make food assistance available to people who need it. These programs are operated in cooperation with State and local governments. The Service, formerly the Food and Nutrition Service, was established on August 8, 1969, by the Secretary of Agriculture, under authority of 5 U.S.C. 301 and Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1953 (5 U.S.C. app.). Food Stamps The Food Stamp Program provides food coupons through State and local welfare agencies to needy persons to increase their food purchasing power. The coupons are used by program participants to buy food in any retail store that has been approved by the Food and Consumer Service to accept and redeem the food coupons. Special Nutrition Programs The Service administers several programs designed to improve the nutrition of children, particularly those from low-income families. Principal among these is the National School Lunch Program, which provides financial assistance to public and nonprofit private schools of high school grade and under, in operating nonprofit school lunch programs. The School Breakfast Program provides cash assistance to State educational agencies to help schools in operating nonprofit breakfast programs meeting established nutritional standards. It is especially important in improving the diets of needy children who may receive breakfast free or at reduced prices. The Summer Food Service Program for Children helps various organizations get nutritious meals to needy preschool and school-aged children during the summer months or during vacations in areas operating under a continuous school calendar. The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a companion activity that helps to get nutritious meals to preschool and school-aged children in child care facilities and to functionally impaired adults in facilities that provide nonresidential care for such individuals. The Special Milk Program for Children, which is administered in schools, institutions, and split-session kindergartens that do not participate in any other Federal food program, is designed to help child nutrition by paying a share of the cost of increased servings of fluid milk made to children. Food Distribution The Food Distribution Program makes foods available to eligible recipients. Foods purchased by the Department are made available principally to children in school lunch and breakfast programs, summer camps, and child care centers, and to the nutrition program for the elderly. Commodities are also distributed to needy families through food banks, charitable institutions, and local government agencies. The program on Indian reservations provides Indians on or near reservations with access to a wide range of donated foods, including meat, fruit, vegetables, and dairy and grain products. Supplemental Food Programs The Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children--the WIC Program--provides specified nutritious food supplements, nutrition education, and health care referrals to pregnant women, breastfeeding women up to 12 months post partum, non-breastfeeding women up to 6 months post partum, and children up to 5 years of age. Participants are determined by competent professionals (physicians, nutritionists, nurses, and other health [[Page 126]] officials) to be at nutritional risk because of nutritionally related medical conditions or inadequate nutrition. Cash grants are made available to participating State health departments or comparable State agencies, or recognized Indian tribes, bands, or groups. The State agencies distribute funds to the local agencies, and the funds are used to provide foods for WIC recipients and to pay specified administrative and clinical costs. Commodity Supplemental Food Program This program provides supplemental foods and nutrition education to low-income infants and children; pregnant, post partum, and breastfeeding women; and elderly persons who are vulnerable to malnutrition and reside in approved project areas. The Department purchases foods for distribution through State agencies. Nutrition Education and Training Under this program funds are granted to the States for the development and dissemination of nutrition information and materials to children and for in-service training of food service and teaching personnel. No person may be discriminated against--in the operation of any of the programs administered by the Food and Nutrition Service--because of race, color, sex, creed, national origin, or handicap. For further information, contact the Public Information Officer, Food and Consumer Service, Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA 22302. Phone, 703-305-2276.