USDA $750 Million in Funding to Schools

The USDA has announced its plans to increase funding to support school meals and to help continue serving healthy meals to kids. On Friday it was announced that an additional $750 million would be provided to school districts across the US to ensure schools are funded to keep pace with an increase in both food and operational costs so as to ensure that children continue to receive healthy meals at school. School lunch reimbursement rates usually do not increase during the school year. However, this year, due to the pandemic, the USDA is allowing schools to benefit from these higher rates. At the start of the 2021 school year the lunch reimbursement rate for participating schools was already 15% higher than the standard reimbursement for free lunch. Now, because of higher food costs and other circumstances schools will be receiving approximately 22% more compared to normal conditions. Past initiatives by the USDA have provided funding for schools and distributors to schools to source 100% American-grown foods and to install programs such as “grab ‘n go” meals for students to have during periods of remote learning.