Food Distribution ProgramsReduction of the Paperwork Burden

This final rule amends provisions of the Food Distribution Program, Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and Food Distribution Program for Households on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) regulations to reduce the paperwork burden associated with the administration of food distribution programs at the State and local level. This action was initiated by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 1989, which amended the National School Lunch Act to require the Secretary to endeavor to reduce the paperwork burden for agencies participating in nutrition assistance programs. This final rule contains provisions which extend the maximum effective periods for agreements between Federal, distributing, and recipient agencies, contracts of distributing and subdistributing agencies with storage facilities, contracts between recipient agencies and food service management companies, and State plans of operation; remove the requirement that commodity acceptability information be submitted for the following program categories: charitable institutions, nonprofit summer camps, the Summer Food Service Program for Children, and the Emergency Food Assistance Program; relax monitoring requirements for distributing agencies with regard to charitable institutions and nonprofit summer camps, and the food service management companies under contract with them; and, amend regulatory language to reflect modified information collection requirements.