gao-School Meals - USDA Should Address Challenges in Its “Foods in Schools” Program-此为英文文档.docx

UnitedStatesGovernmentAccountabilityOffice

ReporttotheCommitteeonAgriculture,Nutrition,andForestry,U.S.Senate

June2023

SCHOOLMEALS

USDAShould

AddressChallengesinIts“Foodsin

Schools”Program

GAO-23-105697

GAO

GAO

Highlights

HighlightsofGAO-23-105697,areporttotheCommitteeonAgriculture,Nutrition,and

Forestry,U.S.Senate

WhyGAODidThisStudy

TheUSDAFoodsinSchoolsprogram

isanimportantsourceofnutritious,

domesticfoodforschoolmeals.

Throughtheprogram,schoolfood

authoritiesselectfromover200

productsthatUSDAofferstopurchase

ontheirbehalf—anannualvalueof

about$1.6billion.Theprogramrelies

onanetworkofpublicandprivate

stakeholderstooperateeffectively.

GAOwasaskedtoreview

implementationoftheUSDAFoodsin

Schoolsprogram.Thisreport

examines(1)spendingfortheprogram

inrecentyearsand(2)anychallenges

statesandschoolfoodauthorities

challenges.

GAOanalyzeddataonUSDAFoodsinSchoolspurchasesfromschoolyears2014-15through2020-21.GAO

surveyedallstatesthatoperatethe

program,andinterviewedofficialsfromanon-generalizablesampleoffour

statesandeightschoolfood

authorities.GAOselectedstatesbased

onuseofUSDAFoodsinSchools

otherreasons.GAOselectedschool

GAOalsointerviewedUSDAofficials

andreviewedrelevantfederallaws,

regulations,anddocuments.

WhatGAORecommends

GAOismakingthree

recommendationstoUSDA,includingtodevelopamechanismtoroutinely

andsystematicallyidentifyandaddresschallenges,andtoestablishguidelinesfortimelycommunicationwithstates.

USDAagreedwithallthree

recommendations.

ViewGAO-23-105697.Formoreinformation,contactKathrynA.Larinat(202)512-7215or

larink@.

facedinoperatingtheprogram,aswell

foodauthoritiesforarangeoflocales.

entitlement,geographicdiversity,and

asUSDAsassistanceinaddressing

June2023

SCHOOLMEALS

USDAShouldAddressChallengesinItsFoodsinSchools”Program

WhatGAOFound