How to Accept EBT Chip Cards — and How They Protect Your Store
As EBT chip cards roll out nationwide, merchants are on the front line of preventing fraud and avoiding costly chargebacks or benefit-theft disputes. The USDA confirms that EBT fraud—especially card skimming—is rising, and chip cards are a critical modernization step because they are far harder to copy or clone than magnetic‑stripe cards. Chip-enabled EBT cards […]
The Future of SNAP EBT Chip Card Technology for Enhanced Security and Convenience
Discover the news about SNAP EBT chip card technology, how skimming has become a serious problem, and new security-compliant EBT chip cards are essential to combat it.
SNAP Healthy Incentives Expanded in 2023 with $25M USDA Investment
SNAP retailers are key access points to healthy, nutritious foods for SNAP recipients. USDA announced a $25M investment for SNAP healthy incentives. This will help SNAP retailers provide coupons, promotions, or special discounts on healthy items like fruits and vegetables for SNAP recipients.
SNAP-Ed Program: Tips for SNAP Retailers and Communities
USDA’s SNAP-Ed program is an amazing resource for SNAP retailers as well as SNAP recipients. The program focuses on educating people on how to live a healthy life and how to make the most of their SNAP dollars, organizing nutrition education classes and social marketing campaigns, as well as takes initiative to improve government policies. […]
Food Deserts and How You Can Increase Access to Foods
Food deserts are defined by the USDA as “low-income census tracts with a substantial number or share of residents with low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and affordable foods.” In food deserts it is extremely difficult for kids, families, and communities to access foods that promote health and strength. There are many […]
USDA MyPlate: The Importance of a Balanced Plate
In honor of National Farm to School Month, let’s learn the importance of supporting adequate nutrition and balanced plates.
National Farmers Day: Celebrate Farmers!
National Farmers Day is celebrated today, October 12th, the perfect date since it is near the end of harvesttime. Farmers only make up 2% of America yet their impact extends to us all, so let’s celebrate our farmers today and every day!
Celebrate National School Lunch Week!
USDA celebrates National School Lunch Week, a celebration of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), October 10th-14th, 2022. This year’s theme is “peace, love, and school lunch,” a fun 70’s theme that will make your school cafeteria a little groovier this week.
National Farm to School Month
FNS National Farm to School Month takes place each October and is supported by USDA. The goal is to support farmers while also providing nutritious, balanced plates to schoolchildren. This month also celebrates food education, school gardens and lunch trays filled with healthy, local ingredients.
USDA Supports Farmers’ Diversity with Funding Increase
The USDA backs farming diversity with the announcement of a $550 million funding increase on August 24th, 2022, to “support projects that enable underserved producers to access land, capital, and markets, and train the next, diverse generation of agricultural professionals.” With only about 9% of US farmers belonging to minority groups, this is a great […]
Local Farmers + USDA Feed Kids with the Farm to School Program
Local farmers and the USDA bring fresh local food to schools to enrich the connection communities have with local food producers with the Farm to School grant program. This program was a part of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, like the National School Lunch Program, that aims to increase nutritional value of […]
USDA Increases GusNIP Funding
The USDA announced an $8 million dollar increase in funding for the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Produce Prescription Program on August 10th, 2022. This investment comes as a part of continued efforts from the USDA to increase health and nutrition security for those in need.
USDA Helps School Children with the National School Lunch Program
The National School Lunch Program is arguably the most important anti-hunger program for school children in the United States. As we welcome kids back to school for the 2022-2023 school year, let’s learn more about the NSLP and its impact in the United States …
Addressing Food Insecurity: USDA’s Impactful Initiatives
Food insecurity has become a larger and larger issue over the last few years, but the USDA has been working diligently to help lessen the impacts of this issue.
USDA Increases School Lunch Funding Amid Rising Costs
On July 22, 2022, the USDA announced a funding increase “to help schools continue to serve kids healthy meals this coming school year and provide financial relief for schools and child care providers.” The increase will be effective July 1, 2022, and schools will receive an additional $0.68 per free/reduced lunch meals and $0.32 per […]
4 C’s Impacting Food Security
From COVID-19 to conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war to rising costs from inflation and food supply chain issues, the last two-and-a-half years have not been easy for any of us. COVID-19 has impacted nearly every facet of our lives worldwide, but it has had a particularly strong impact on food security. World hunger and poverty […]
USDA Announces Summer P-EBT Program
On July 11th, 2022, the USDA announced their P-EBT program, which is a partnership with 27 states and territories (and growing) that provides summer food benefits to eligible children. For years, the summertime has been a struggle for millions of families who rely heavily on the school system to feed their children throughout the year. […]
USDA Reduces Food Insecurity with New Framework
The USDA has announced a new framework that aims to create a more fair, competitive, and resilient food system. This system builds on the existing work the USDA has been doing since 2021 to address supply chain and structural issues. The last few years have shown issues in our food system we didn’t know we […]
USDA Celebrates National School Lunch Week + Farm to School Month
Since 1946, the National School Lunch Program has provided nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches in schools to improve the health and wellbeing of America’s children. Research shows school meals may be the healthiest food children receive in a day, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Vapor Products Will Change the Tobacco Business
Since tobacco has continued to suffer under heavy government regulations, major tobacco firms have began funding the research and development of vape products. People are overall smoking less and beginning to switch to vaping, a new nicotine alternative.