The Arkansas Department of Agriculture administers the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, Afterschool Snack Program, Seamless Summer Program, and Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Grants in public schools in Arkansas.
Interested in offering the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program? Fill out our interest form to see if your institution is eligible.
The Department provides technical assistance, training, monitoring, and processing claims for reimbursement of federal funds used to operate local school nutrition programs in accordance with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations.
Programs
National School Lunch Program
The National School Lunch Program, enacted in 1946 by President Harry Truman, is a federally assisted meal program in over 100,000 public and non‐profit private schools and residential childcare institutions. In 2012, it provided nutritionally balanced, low‐cost, or free lunches to more than 31 million children each school day. In 1998, Congress expanded the National School Lunch Program to include reimbursement for snacks served to children in afterschool educational and enrichment programs to include children through 18 years of age.
The Food and Nutrition Service administers the program at the Federal level. At the State level, the National School Lunch Program is usually administered by State education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with school food authorities.
Learn More: Food and Nutrition Services, USDA, National School Lunch Program
School Breakfast Program
The School Breakfast Program is a federally assisted meal program in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions. It began as a pilot project in 1966 and was made permanent in 1975. The School Breakfast Program is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service. At the State level, the program is usually administered by State education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with local school food authorities in more than 89,000 schools and institutions.
Learn More: Food and Nutrition Services, USDA, School Breakfast Program
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides all children in participating schools with free fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options. The FFVP also encourages schools to develop partnerships at the state and local levels to support the implementation and operation of the program.
Learn More: Food and Nutrition Services, USDA, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
After School Snack Program
The National School Lunch Program offers cash reimbursement to help schools serve snacks to children in afterschool activities to promote the health and well-being of children and youth in our communities. A school must provide children with regularly scheduled activities in an organized, structured, and supervised environment, including educational or enrichment activities (e.g., mentoring or tutoring programs). Competitive interscholastic sports teams are not eligible for after-school programs. The programs must meet State/local licensing requirements, if available, or State/local health and safety standards. All programs that meet the eligibility requirements can participate in the National School Lunch Program and receive USDA reimbursement for after-school snacks.
Learn More: Food and Nutrition Services, USDA, Afterschool Snack Program
Seamless Summer and Other Options for Schools
Schools participating in the National School Lunch or Breakfast Program can apply for the Seamless Summer Option.
Seamless Summer has less paperwork, making it easier for schools to feed children during the traditional summer vacation periods and, for year-round schools, long school vacation periods.
Once approved by the State agency, the school serves meals free of charge to children, including teenagers through age 18, under the school meal program rules.
Meals are reimbursed at the free rates for school lunches, breakfasts, and afterschool snacks, which are slightly lower than the Summer Food Service Program rates.
Learn More: Food and Nutrition Services, USDA, Seamless Summer Option
Resources
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice or TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complain, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.