fns

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps farmers and ranchers use conservation to help the environment while improving agricultural operations. But not everyone knows about the variety of programs and services offered through USDA agencies.

USDA recently launched an effort to ensure the department is reaching landowners and rural citizens of different backgrounds. Through USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity, USDA is intensifying outreach efforts in places with persistent poverty. For example, NRCS’ goal is to reach landowners with farms and ranches of all types and sizes.

Sixteen states, including South Carolina, identified StrikeForce counties, where more than 20 percent of the population has been considered persistently impoverished for the past three decades.

Los programas de nutrición del USDA (por siglas en inglés) proveen acceso a una dieta saludable a millones de americanos elegibles para las ayudas cada mes. Ya sea en escuelas, centros comunitarios o en casas de todo el país, estos programas trabajan en conjunto como una red de seguridad nutritiva para asegurar que ningún americano que cualifique pase hambre.

Considero que la nutrición suplementar para mujeres, infantes y niños, mejor conocida como WIC (por sus siglas en inglés)  es un programa especial. Dicho programa provee alimentos suplementarios a los más vulnerables—infantes, embarazadas, mujeres lactando y luego del parto y a niños hasta la edad de 5 años que enfrentan un riesgo nutricional. WIC también provee referencias para atención médica y social, y para educación nutritiva, incluyendo la promoción y el soporte a la lactancia materna.

USDA’s nutrition assistance programs provide access to a healthy diet for millions of eligible Americans each month. Whether in schools, community feeding sites, or in households across the country, they comprise a nutrition safety net to ensure that no eligible American goes hungry.

In my opinion the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as “WIC,” is indeed a special program. It provides supplemental foods to our most vulnerable -- infants, pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk.  WIC also provides referrals to social and health care services and nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support.

A new op-ed, regarding hunger and the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was pushed this afternoon on the Huffington Post.

Last week, I wrote about the continued need for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), particularly in the wake of the automatic benefit cuts that began on November 1. It is fortunately the time of year when people give generously to food banks and food pantries, but they are unable to fully meet the need in their communities, particularly if the program were to suffer deeper cuts.

Los días festivos son una buena ocasión para reunirse  con familia y amigos. Pero cuando no se cuenta con tiempo y el presupuesto es limitado, preparar comidas saludables  se convierte en un reto. Teniendo esto en cuenta, el USDA ofrece consejos saludables con el interés de ofrecer alternativas fáciles y  de bajo costo que toda su familia indudablemente disfrutará.

Holiday celebrations are a great time to gather with family and friends.  But when you’re on a tight budget and pressed for time, it can be challenging to prepare a nutritious, timely meal for your loved ones.  With that in mind, USDA offers these healthy tips for creating low-cost meals your whole family will enjoy:

October was National Farm to School Month and at FNS we ended on a high note. We released our very first nationwide assessment of farm to school activities and there was a lot of good news to be shared. The Farm to School Census showed that adoption of farm to school activities is trending up; many schools that do not currently have farm to school programs are planning to start them, and millions of children are being exposed to healthy foods and learning about where food comes from. In fact, in school year 2011-2012, schools invested over $350 Million in locally produced, healthy food.  This adds up to major benefits for American nutrition and local economies.

But the benefits don’t stop there.  In addition to creating new market opportunities for farmers and producers across the country, farm to school programs are a way to get students familiar with healthy foods so that they don’t throw those items away when they end up on their cafeteria tray.

This morning, Huffington Post published an op-ed from USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon highlighting the continued need for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, particularly around the holidays, and reiterating the need for Congress to act on a comprehensive, long-term Food, Farm and Jobs Bill.

They are t-shirted and tilling up soil in schools across the country. And this year, thanks to a new partnership, FoodCorps service members have USDA at their side.

FoodCorps is a national service organization that places emerging leaders in schools across the country to teach kids about what healthy food is and where it comes from, build and tend school gardens, and bring high-quality local food into schools participating in the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Programs.

USDA is pleased to support the FoodCorps model; their recipe for success includes three main ingredients:

All this week, Americans are pausing to reflect on the devastation caused when Hurricane Sandy slammed ashore on the eastern seaboard.  Over 160 people died, property was damaged, lives were disrupted, families were torn apart and jobs were affected.

USDA helped the recovery effort in a number of ways, and while we are proud of our work, we also learned from the experience in order to assist those affected by future catastrophes.

Our first task was helping those who were facing hunger.  Following a disaster, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) provides nutrition assistance to disaster survivors through disaster USDA Foods Distribution Programs and by authorizing the implementation of the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D­ SNAP).  In addition, FNS approves waivers that simplify the SNAP benefit replacement process to aid ongoing SNAP households affected by a disaster.