[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45178-45181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17990]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
National School Lunch, Special Milk, and School Breakfast
Programs, National Average Payments/Maximum Reimbursement Rates
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This Notice announces the annual adjustments to the ``national
average payments,'' the amount of money the Federal Government provides
States for lunches, afterschool snacks and breakfasts served to
children participating in the National School Lunch and School
Breakfast Programs; to the ``maximum reimbursement rates,'' the maximum
per lunch rate from Federal funds that a State can provide a school
food authority for lunches served to children participating in the
National School Lunch Program; and to the rate of reimbursement for a
half-pint of milk served to non-needy children in a school or
institution which participates in the Special Milk Program for
Children. The payments and rates are prescribed on an annual basis each
July. The annual payments and rates adjustments for the National School
Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
[[Page 45179]]
reflect changes in the Food Away From Home series of the Consumer Price
Index for All Urban Consumers. The annual rate adjustment for the
Special Milk Program reflects changes in the Producer Price Index for
Fluid Milk Products.
DATES: These rates are effective from July 1, 2013 through June 30,
2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Wagoner, Section Chief, School
Programs Section, Policy and Program Development Branch, Child
Nutrition Division, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Room 640, Alexandria, VA 22302 or phone (703) 305-2590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Special Milk Program for Children--Pursuant to section 3 of the
Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1772), the
Department announces the rate of reimbursement for a half-pint of milk
served to non-needy children in a school or institution that
participates in the Special Milk Program for Children. This rate is
adjusted annually to reflect changes in the Producer Price Index for
Fluid Milk Products, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
Department of Labor.
For the period July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, the rate of
reimbursement for a half-pint of milk served to a non-needy child in a
school or institution which participates in the Special Milk Program is
20.25 cents. This reflects an increase of 6.13 percent in the Producer
Price Index for Fluid Milk Products from May 2012 to May 2013 (from a
level of 208.8 in May 2012, as previously published in the Federal
Register to 221.6 in May 2013).
As a reminder, schools or institutions with pricing programs that
elect to serve milk free to eligible children continue to receive the
average cost of a half-pint of milk (the total cost of all milk
purchased during the claim period divided by the total number of
purchased half-pints) for each half-pint served to an eligible child.
National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs--Pursuant to
sections 11 and 17A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act, (42 U.S.C. 1759a and 1766a), and section 4 of the Child Nutrition
Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773), the Department annually announces the
adjustments to the National Average Payment Factors and to the maximum
Federal reimbursement rates for lunches and afterschool snacks served
to children participating in the National School Lunch Program and
breakfasts served to children participating in the School Breakfast
Program. Adjustments are prescribed each July 1, based on changes in
the Food Away From Home series of the Consumer Price Index for All
Urban Consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
Department of Labor. The changes in the national average payment rates
for schools and residential child care institutions for the period July
1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 reflect a 2.27 percent increase in the
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers during the 12-month period
May 2012 to May 2013 (from a level of 237.262 in May 2012, as
previously published in the Federal Register to 242.642 in May 2013).
Adjustments to the national average payment rates for all lunches
served under the National School Lunch Program, breakfasts served under
the School Breakfast Program, and afterschool snacks served under the
National School Lunch Program are rounded down to the nearest whole
cent.
Lunch Payment Levels--Section 4 of the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1753) provides general cash for food
assistance payments to States to assist schools in purchasing food. The
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act provides two different
section 4 payment levels for lunches served under the National School
Lunch Program. The lower payment level applies to lunches served by
school food authorities in which less than 60 percent of the lunches
served in the school lunch program during the second preceding school
year were served free or at a reduced price. The higher payment level
applies to lunches served by school food authorities in which 60
percent or more of the lunches served during the second preceding
school year were served free or at a reduced price.
To supplement these section 4 payments, section 11 of the Richard
B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.1759 (a)) provides
special cash assistance payments to aid schools in providing free and
reduced price lunches. The section 11 National Average Payment Factor
for each reduced price lunch served is set at 40 cents less than the
factor for each free lunch.
As authorized under sections 8 and 11 of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1757 and 1759a), maximum
reimbursement rates for each type of lunch are prescribed by the
Department in this Notice. These maximum rates are to ensure equitable
disbursement of Federal funds to school food authorities.
Section 201 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010--Section
201 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 made significant
changes to the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. On April
27, 2012, the interim rule entitled, ``Certification of Compliance With
Meal Requirements for the National School Lunch Program Under the
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010'' (77 FR 25024), was published
and provides eligible school food authorities with performance-based
cash reimbursement in addition to the general and special cash
assistance described above. The interim rule requires that school food
authorities be certified by the State agency as being in compliance
with the updated meal pattern and nutrition standard requirements set
forth in amendments to 7 CFR Parts 210 and 220 on January 26, 2012, in
the final rule entitled ``Nutrition Standards in the National School
Lunch and School Breakfast Programs'' (77 FR 4088). Certified school
food authorities are eligible to receive performance-based cash
assistance for each reimbursable lunch served (an additional six cents
per lunch available beginning October 1, 2012, and adjusted annually
thereafter).
Afterschool Snack Payments in Afterschool Care Programs--Section
17A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1766a) establishes National Average Payments for free, reduced price
and paid afterschool snacks as part of the National School Lunch
Program.
Breakfast Payment Factors--Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of
1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) establishes National Average Payment Factors for
free, reduced price and paid breakfasts served under the School
Breakfast Program and additional payments for free and reduced price
breakfasts served in schools determined to be in ``severe need''
because they serve a high percentage of needy children.
Revised Payments
The following specific section 4, section 11 and section 17A
National Average Payment Factors and maximum reimbursement rates for
lunch, the afterschool snack rates, and the breakfast rates are in
effect from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014. Due to a higher cost of
living, the average payments and maximum reimbursements for Alaska and
Hawaii are higher than those for all other States. The District of
Columbia, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam use the figures
specified for the contiguous States.
[[Page 45180]]
National School Lunch Program Payments
Section 4 National Average Payment Factors--In school food
authorities which served less than 60 percent free and reduced price
lunches in School Year 2011-12, the payments for meals served are:
Contiguous States--paid rate--28 cents, free and reduced price rate--28
cents, maximum rate--36 cents; Alaska--paid rate--45 cents, free and
reduced price rate--45 cents, maximum rate--57 cents; Hawaii--paid
rate--32 cents, free and reduced price rate--32 cents, maximum rate--41
cents.
In school food authorities which served 60 percent or more free and
reduced price lunches in School Year 2011-12, payments are: Contiguous
States--paid rate--30 cents, free and reduced price rate--30 cents,
maximum rate--36 cents; Alaska--paid rate--47 cents, free and reduced
price rate--47 cents, maximum rate--57 cents; Hawaii--paid rate--34
cents, free and reduced price rate--34 cents, maximum rate--41 cents.
School food authorities certified to receive the performance-based
cash assistance will receive an additional 6 cents (adjusted annually)
added to the above amounts as part of their section 4 payments.
Section 11 National Average Payment Factors--Contiguous States--
free lunch--265 cents, reduced price lunch--225 cents; Alaska--free
lunch--429 cents, reduced price lunch--389 cents; Hawaii--free lunch--
310 cents, reduced price lunch--270 cents.
Afterschool Snacks in Afterschool Care Programs--The payments are:
Contiguous States--free snack--80 cents, reduced price snack--40 cents,
paid snack--07 cents; Alaska--free snack--130 cents, reduced price
snack--65 cents, paid snack--11 cents; Hawaii--free snack--94 cents,
reduced price snack--47 cents, paid snack--08 cents.
School Breakfast Program Payments
For schools ``not in severe need'' the payments are: Contiguous
States--free breakfast--158 cents, reduced price breakfast--128 cents,
paid breakfast--28 cents; Alaska--free breakfast--253 cents, reduced
price breakfast--223 cents, paid breakfast--41 cents; Hawaii--free
breakfast--185 cents, reduced price breakfast--155 cents, paid
breakfast--31 cents.
For schools in ``severe need'' the payments are: Contiguous
States--free breakfast--189 cents, reduced price breakfast--159 cents,
paid breakfast--28 cents; Alaska--free breakfast--303 cents, reduced
price breakfast--273 cents, paid breakfast--41 cents; Hawaii - free
breakfast--221 cents, reduced price breakfast--191 cents, paid
breakfast--31 cents.
Payment Chart
The following chart illustrates the lunch National Average Payment
Factors with the sections 4 and 11 already combined to indicate the per
lunch amount; the maximum lunch reimbursement rates; the reimbursement
rates for afterschool snacks served in afterschool care programs; the
breakfast National Average Payment Factors including ``severe need''
schools; and the milk reimbursement rate. All amounts are expressed in
dollars or fractions thereof. The payment factors and reimbursement
rates used for the District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico
and Guam are those specified for the contiguous States.
School Programs--Meal, Snack And Milk Payments To States And School Food Authorities
[Expressed in dollars or fractions thereof effective from July 1, 2013--June 30, 2014]
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Less than Maximum
National School Lunch Program * Less than 60% + 6 60% or more 60% or more Maximum rate + 6
60% cents + 6 cents rate cents
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CONTIGUOUS STATES:
PAID.......................... 0.28 0.34 0.30 0.36 0.36 0.42
REDUCED PRICE................. 2.53 2.59 2.55 2.61 2.70 2.76
FREE.......................... 2.93 2.99 2.95 3.01 3.10 3.16
ALASKA:
PAID.......................... 0.45 0.51 0.47 0.53 0.57 0.63
REDUCED PRICE................. 4.34 4.40 4.36 4.42 4.60 4.66
FREE.......................... 4.74 4.80 4.76 4.82 5.00 5.06
HAWAII:
PAID.......................... 0.32 0.38 0.34 0.40 0.41 0.47
REDUCED PRICE................. 3.02 3.08 3.04 3.10 3.22 3.28
FREE.......................... 3.42 3.48 3.44 3.50 3.62 3.68
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School breakfast program Non-severe need Severe need
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CONTIGUOUS STATES:
PAID............................ 0.28 0.28
REDUCED PRICE................... 1.28 1.59
FREE............................ 1.58 1.89
ALASKA:
PAID............................ 0.41 0.41
REDUCED PRICE................... 2.23 2.73
FREE............................ 2.53 3.03
HAWAII:
PAID............................ 0.31 0.31
REDUCED PRICE................... 1.55 1.91
FREE............................ 1.85 2.21
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Special milk program All milk Paid milk Free Milk
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PRICING PROGRAMS WITHOUT FREE OPTION...... 0.2025 N/A N/A
[[Page 45181]]
PRICING PROGRAMS WITH FREE OPTION......... N/A 0.2025 Average Cost Per \1/2\ Pint of
Milk
NONPRICING PROGRAMS....................... 0.2025 N/A N/A
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Afterschool Snacks Served in Afterschool Care Programs
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CONTIGUOUS STATES:
PAID....................................... 0.07
REDUCED PRICE.............................. 0.40
FREE....................................... 0.80
ALASKA:
PAID....................................... 0.11
REDUCED PRICE.............................. 0.6
FREE....................................... 1.30
HAWAII:
PAID....................................... 0.08
REDUCED PRICE.............................. 0.47
FREE....................................... 0.94
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* Payment listed for Free and Reduced Price Lunches include both section
4 and section 11 funds
This action is not a rule as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) and thus is exempt from the provisions of that
Act.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3507), no new recordkeeping or reporting requirements have been
included that are subject to approval from the Office of Management and
Budget.
This notice has been determined to be not significant and was
reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget in conformance with
Executive Order 12866.
National School Lunch, School Breakfast and Special Milk Programs
are listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under No.
10.555, No. 10.553 and No. 10.556, respectively, and are subject to the
provisions of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental
consultation with State and local officials. (See 7 CFR Part 3015,
Subpart V, and the final rule related notice published at 48 FR 29114,
June 24, 1983).
Authority: Sections 4, 8, 11 and 17A of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act, as amended, (42 U.S.C. 1753, 1757, 1759a,
1766a) and sections 3 and 4(b) of the Child Nutrition Act, as
amended, (42 U.S.C. 1772 and 42 U.S.C. 1773(b)).
Dated: July 16, 2013.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-17990 Filed 7-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P