Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced new steps to enhance the delivery of USDA services. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is collaborating with six states on new demonstration projects to connect eligible low-income children with free school meals based on information received from Medicaid. The Secretary says – the new process will allow for administrative efficiencies, reduce improper payments and streamline efforts to provide access to critical nutrition for kids across the nation.

Secretary Vilsack explains – by relying upon existing data, we streamline operations, reduce payment errors and improve the efficiency of operations at the federal and local level. At the same time we are ensuring that we deliver healthy meals to more eligible kids so they have access to the nutrition they need to learn and excel.

Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania will begin their respective projects on July 1 for school year 2012-2013. Kentucky and Pennsylvania plan to conduct statewide projects while the others will do so in select locations.

Courtesy: NAFB News