Establishing The Summer EBT Program & Rural Non-Congregate Option In The Summer Meal Programs

On December 29, 2023, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released this interim final rule to establish a permanent summer electronic benefits transfer for children program (Summer EBT) for the purpose of ensuring continued access to food when school is not in session for the summer. The rule amends the previous Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program's Seamless Summer Option (SSO) regulations to codify the flexibility for rural program operators to provide non-congregate meal service in the SFSP and SSO, collectively referred to as the summer meal programs . . .