USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Grant: Boosting Healthy Fluid Milk Consumption for SNAP Households

See the RFA for full information on eligibility.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) certifies low-income Americans to participate in the program and authorizes and monitors retailers to accept SNAP benefits for eligible food products. Currently, around 42 million low-income Americans receive SNAP benefits, and more than 250,000 retailers are authorized to accept SNAP benefits.

Section 4208 of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334), as amended, authorizes USDA, on a competitive basis, to enter cooperative agreements with governmental entities or nonprofit organizations to carry out Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) projects. The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, (P.L. 119-4) provides $3,000,000 for HFMI for fiscal year (FY) 2025.

The primary purpose of the HFMI project is to develop and test methods to increase the purchase and consumption of qualifying fluid milk by SNAP households by providing them with an incentive at the point of purchase at authorized retailer locations. “Qualifying fluid milk” includes all varieties of pasteurized cow’s milk that (1) is without flavoring or sweeteners, (2) is consistent with the most recent dietary recommendations, (3) is packaged in liquid form, and (4) contains vitamins A and D at levels consistent with the Food and Drug Administration, State, and local standards for fluid milk. Additionally, through this project, FNS hopes to identify and further strengthen strategies to encourage healthy choices, healthy outcomes, and healthy families.