UPDATE:  On January 29, the Trump Administration officially rescinded its proposed pause on federal funding after a federal judge temporarily halted the action on January 28.

Following a memo issued late yesterday by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), SNA is in contact with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine potential impacts on school meal programs and the students they serve. The “Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs” indicates the pause is effective Tuesday, January 28.

The School Nutrition Association shares concerns with its members about any pause in federal funding that could limit children’s access to healthy school meals. School nutrition programs depend on monthly federal reimbursements to cover food, labor and supply expenditures associated with preparing school meals that millions of students rely on to fuel their school day.

SNA has contacted USDA officials and will keep members apprised as more details are confirmed about potential implications to federal reimbursement payments. Grant funding is also critical for school meal programs, including Farm to School, which connects children with nutritious, locally grown foods while supporting America’s farmers.

School meal programs already operate on extremely tight budgets, as evidenced in SNA’s SY 2024/25 School Nutrition Trends Survey. SNA will continue to urge Congress to increase federal reimbursement rates to address the current financial crisis facing these programs, as laid out in its 2025 Position Paper.

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