Annual Statistical Review - Preliminary Report Food and Nutrition Programs FY 1975

              Annual Statistical Review-Preliminary Report
Food and Nutrition Programs
Fiscal Year 1975
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition Service
FNS-145 PROPERTY OF Tl-iE
LIBRARY
NOV ~ 4 1975
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT GREENSBORO
Preface
This preliminary review and, analysis of Food and Nutrition Service programs covers their progress
during fiscal year 1975. It Is divided into two major program areas, Family Food Assistance and
Child Nutrition, accord in~ to the contents .
FNS Program Reporting Staff
November, 1975
2
Contents
Page
food Assistance Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Family Food Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Food Stamp Program ....... . ..... .. .............................. .. · ......... .. ..... 8
Food Distribution Program ..........•................................................ 9
Special Supplemental Food Program ................... ... ...... .. . . ......... .. ....... 10
Child Nutrition . ............................................. .. .................... . 11
Natio11al Schoof Lunch Program ... .. ....... . .... ... ... ... ............................ 12
School Breakfast Program ........................................................... 14
Special Food Service Program ........ . .................................. . .... . ....... 15
Nonfood Assistance Program ............. ... ................ . ........ . ....... . ..... .. 16
Special Milk Program . .......... . ....... . ... . ....... . ............................... 17
Summary of Food and Nutrition Service Programs .... ........... ... ..................... 18
Food Assistance Trends
The Food and Nutrition Service was established
in August 1969 to concentrate exclusively on the
administration of Federal food programs.
Since then:
• Federal funding for food assistance activities
has grown from around $1 billion to over
$6.8 billion in fiscal year 1975, the yearihat
ended last June 30. Of that, $2.1 billion·was
spent for child nutrition programs and over
$4.7 billion for family food assistance.
• Family food assistance programs have shifted
from use of alternative food stamp and food
distribution systems to reliance on the Food
Stamp Program as the principal method of
providing food aid to needy families
nationwide. ·
• Over 400 U.S. counties, which in 1969 had no
program of food assistance for needy
families, .have come into the Federal food
programs. Food assistance, in the form of
either food stamps or food distribution, has
been virtually 100 percent available to all
areas for the past 4 years.
Food Program Funding
Billions of Dollars
• The average number of people assisted
through family food programs reached a
plateau of some 15 million for 3 years in
1972, 1913, and 1974. With recession, the rise
in unemployment, and the switch to food
stamps in Puerto Rico, participation averaged
15.8 million for the first half of fiscal year
1975 and 17.4 million for the whole year.
• Food stamp benefits have increased from an
average monthly food buying bonus of
$6.60 per person in 1969 to $21.43 by June 30,
1975. By law, food stamp benefits must be
appraised for adequacy twice each year and
adjusted accordingly in order to keep allot­ments
in line with food price changes.
• In the National School Lunch Program­oldest
and largest of the child nutrition pro­grams-
the number of needy children as­sisted
with free and reduced-price lunches
has increased from 3.3 million in 1969 to 10.4
million in 1975. In total, the National School
Lunch Program reached a peak of 25.4 million
youngsters in fiscal year 1975.
6~---------------------------------------------~
2r-------------------------~
1r-------------1-.
0'---------­Fiscal
Year
Note: Funding totals
include program benefits
'69
and federal administrative costs.
4
'70 '71 '72
• Family Food Assistance
'73 '74 '75
ES;3 Child Nutrition
Family Food Program participation (Average)
0 '-------­Fiscal
Year '69 '70 '71
• Food Stamp
'72
National School Lunch Program Participation (Peak Month)
Millions of Children Reached
o.__ ____ _
Fiscal Year '69 '70 '71 '72
'73 '74
(S3 Food Distribution
'73 '74
•
Children Reached with Free
or Reduced Price Lunches ~ Paid Participation
'75
'75
Family Food Assistance
Established as the primary means of family food
assistance by the Congressional mandate of
August 1973, the Food Stamp Program is now
available nationwide and in most outlying
areas. Thus, 99.5 percent of Americans re­ceiving
family food assistance in fiscal year 1975
were food stamp users. The rest were mainly
Indians living on reservations, which have been
granted an option to continue food distribution
until June30, 1977.
During fiscal year 1975:
• An average of 17.4 million people were '
receiving family food assistance, 16.8 per­cent
above the average in fiscal year 1974.
• Federal payments for family food assistance
totaleg $4.4 billion, up 53 percent over the
previous year, reflecting increased food
costs, the rise in unemployment, and the
switch from food distribution to food stamps.
• In 10 States and territories, less than 5 per­cent
of the population received family food
assistance; in 30, between 5 and 9 percent;
in 10, between 10 and 14 percent; and in 5,
over 15 percent.
• Some 30,000 victims of natural disasters,
such as floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes,
received approximately $1.2 million worth of
food stamp aid. Less emergency assistance
was required than in fiscal year 1974, when
almost 150,000 people received over $2.1 -
million worth of emergency food assistance.
Average Monthly Participation
.Millions of Recipients
Federal Contribution
Millions of Dollars
Up 16.8%
17.4
14.9
Fiscal Year '74
• Food Stamp
6
'75
Up 52.8%
4,442.4
2,907.5
'74 '75
~Food Distribution
Average Participation in Family Food Assistance Programs
as a Percentage of Population, FY 1975 (Preliminary)
Participation Range
~ 15% and Over
~ 10% to 14%
~5% to9%
0 Under 5%
D.C.
Guam
Puerto Rico
Trust Territory
Virgin Islands
16.8%
10.5%
44.2%
4.2%
50.4%
7
Food Stamp Program
The Food Stamp Program began on a pilot basis
in 1961 and became law by the Food Stamp Act
of 1964. It enables low-income households to
buy more food of great-er variety to improve
diets. Participants pay a .specified amount of
money, based on family size and income, and
receive coupons worth more than they paid,
which can be spent for food at participating
stores.
' In fiscal year 1975:
• The average number of people participating
in the program was 17.1 million a month,
compared to 12.9 million in fiscal year 1974.
Participation was 19.2 million in June, 1975,
the end of the fiscal year.
• Over 83 percent of the increase was among
non-public assistance households, reflecting
the impact of the rise in unemployment on
food program participation . As a result,
public assistance recipients dropped below
half of the total food stamp caseload for the
first time.
• Another major factor in the rise in program
participation was the transition from food dis­tribution
to food stamps in Puerto Rico. This
alone added 1.5 million people to the
program.
• Recipients paid $2.9 billion and received food
stamps worth a total of $7.3 billion, giving
them a food buying bonus of $4.4 billion, up
62 percent from the previous year. This re­flects
the increase in program participation
and in benefits paid per person, due to the in­creased
cost of food.
• Average monthly benefits per person in­creased
21.7 percent to $21 .43. Food Stamp
allotments are adjusted semiannually accord­ing
to changes in food prices.
• The number of outlets- mainly retailers­authorized
to accept food stamps increased to
249,000, up 48,000 from the previous year.
Included are some 3,100 nonprofit dining
facilities for the elderly, ,in line with program
changes permitting suet.! operations to accept
food stamps in payment for meals.
Average Monthly
Participation
Millions of Recipients
Federal Cost of
Bonus Stamps
Millions of Dollars
Average Monthly Benefits
Per Person
Dollars
Up 32. 6%
17.1
12.9
Fiscal Year '74 '75
~Public Assistance
• Non-Public Assistance
8
Up 62.0%
4404.~
2,718.3
Up 21.7%
21.43
17.61
'74 '75 '74 '75
..
Food Distribution Program
Dir-ect food distribution to needy families has
virtually ended as a result of the 1973 Congres­sional
mandate for a nationwide Food Stamp
Program. However, Indian reservations were
granted the option to continue food distribu­tion
until June 30, 1977.
Thus, in fiscal year 1975:
• Average monthly participation in the Food
Distribution Program fell to 330,0QO from
1,982,000 in the previous year.
• With the move to a nationwide Food Stamp
Program, there remained 39 food distribu­tion
projects (including the Pacific Trust Ter­ritory)
serving 88,000 needy people, at the
end of the fiscal year.
• The Federal cost of foods donated to families
totaled $37 . 5 million .
• Recipients received a monthly average of
25.4 pounds of food per person, at a Federal
cost of $9.40. The food "package" included
canned meat , poultry, corn meal, rice, fruits
and vegetables, juices, milk, cheese, butter,
and other staple foods.
Beyond the program for needy families ,
donated foods were also provided to :
Institutions which provide meals to indigent
patients and residents and to children in
nonprofit summer camps . The value of food
distributed during fiscal year 1975 totaled $18 .5
million.
Mothers and infants through Supplemental
Food Programs. The Federal cost of these foods
was $17.4 million in fiscal year 1975. Participa­tion
averaged 132,000 persons~ month , with
the monthly cost of food per person averaging
$10.98.
Older citizens through Nutritional Programs for
the Elderly, federally administered by the
Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
Recent legislation called for the provision of
USDA-donated foods to these programs at a
minimum level of 10 cents per meal, with
annual adjustments in line with food price
changes . In fiscal year 1975 , $1.9 million worth
of food was distributed .
Average Monthly
Participation/ Needy Families
Thous(;!rids of Recipients
Benefits Per Person/ Needy Families
Dollars
Down 83.4%
1,981.6
329.6
Fiscal Year '74 '75
(USDA Cost Per Month)
Up 17.5%
9.40
8.00
'74 '75
9
Special Supplemental Food Program for
Women, Infants and Children (V\(IC)
The Special Supplemental Food Program for
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) was
initiated in January 1974. During fiscal year
1975, cash grants were provided to State health
departments and comparable agencies to make
supplemental foods available to pregnant and
lactating women, to infants, and to children up
to 4 years of age through participating he~lth
clinics.
In fiscal year 1975:
• Average monthly participation was
344,000 persons, compared to last year's
average of 88,000. In June 1975, monthly
participation reached 497,000.
• Federal expenditures totaled $82.1 million,
compared to $10.4 million the previous year.
Food costs accounted for 85 per..cent of the
total, administrative costs for 9 percent, and
clinic costs for 6 percent.
• The cost of food per person averaged $17.05 a
month, an 8.7-percent increase over the
previous year. Specified amounts of certain
foods-such as iron-fortified infant formula
and cereal, fruit or vegetable juices high in
vitamin C, milk, and eggs-were provided
through State-run delivery·systems. Most re­cipients
received vouchers, redeemable at re­tail
stores, although some areas distributed
food directly to people taking part in the
program.
Average Monthly
Participation
Thousands of Recipients
Federal Expenditures
M iII ions of Dollars
Average Monthly Benefits
Per Person
Dollars
Up 292.9% Up 689.4% Up 8.7%
344.6 82.1 17.05
15.68
87.7
10.4
Fiscal Year '74* '75 '74* '75 '74* '75
• Data is for last six months of fiscal year.
10
}
l
1
Child Nutrition
Through several Child Nutrition Programs, FNS
provides cash and food assistance to help sup­port
food services for children in public and
nonprofit private schools, child care centers,
settlement houses, summer day camps, and
recreation centers.
During fiscal year 1975:
• The total number of meals served in all Child
Nutrition Programs amounted to 4.7 billion,
up almost 7 percent from the 4.4 billion
served the previous year. The bulk of the
meals -4 billion- were served in the
National School Lunch Program.
• The number of free and reduced-price meals
provided increased from 1.9 billion in 1974 to
2.1 billion in 1975, a 10.5-percent increase.
Federal Contribution to
Child Nutrition Programs
M iII ions of Dollars
Up 27.8%
2,047.5
1,601.8
~
Fiscal Year '74
~Commodities
.Cash
'75
• Federal payments for all Child Nutrition Pro­grams
totaled $2 billion, of which $1.6 billion
represented cash apportioned to the States
and $432 million represented the Federal cost
of donated foods. The total expenditure was
27 percent above that of a year earlier.
• Federally donated foods represented some 19
percent of the total $2.2 billion worth of food
used in federally aided school feeding
programs.
11
National School Lunch Program
Oldest and largest of the child nutrition
programs, the National School Lunch Program,
was enacted in 1946 to assist the States in estab­lishing,
maintaining, and expanding nonprofit
lunch service in elementary and secondary
schools.
During fiscal year 1975:
• Nearly 88,500 schools took part in the pro­gram,
almost 1,000 more than a year earlier.
Thus, a school lunch program was available
to 87.8 percent of the Nation's school enroll­ment,
up from 86.4 percent the year before.
• School lunch participation increased, despite
the steady decline in school enrollment. In
fiscal year 1975, participation peaked at 25.4
million, representing almost 57 percent of the
children enrolled in participating schools.
• Reflecting general economic conditions, the
lunch program reached a larger number and
proportion of needy children than the
previous year. Free and reduced-price
Participation
lunches reached 10.4 million youngsters,
compared with 9.5 million in 1974. These
lunches accounted for two out of every five of
the four billion lunches served under
the program.
The total cost of the National School Lunch
Program was $3.8 billion. The Federal contribu­tion
was $1.7 bi II ion or 45 percent. The remain ­der
came from State and local contributions, in­cluding
children's payments for lunches. The
average Federal contribution per lunch totaled
41.6 cents-31.4 cents in cash and 10.2 cents in
donated foods. That was 18.9 percent higher
than the previous year, due in part to (1) new
legislation setting the average cost of federally
donated foods at not less than 10 cents per
lunch and (2) the required semfannual adjust­ment
in average reimbursement payments to
keep pace with food price changes as reported
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for '' food away
from home.''
(Children Reached-Peak)
Millions of Recipients
Total Lunches Served
Millions of Lunches
Federal Contribution
Millions of Dollars
Up 1.6%
25.0
Fiscal Year '74
• Free/Reduced Price
12
25.4
'75
3,981.6
'74 '75
ES::J Paid
1,394.6
'74
~ Commodities
• Cash
'75
National School Lunch Participation as a Percent of
Enrollment in Participating Schools, FY 1975 (Preliminary)
Students Receiving Free and Reduced Price Lunches as a Percent of Total
Participation in the National School Lunch Program, FY 1975 (Preliminary)
NSLP Participation
Range
~ 75% and Over
~ 60% to 74%
EZj 45% to 59%
D 44% and Under
D.C.
Guam
Puerto Rico
Samoa, Amer.
Virgin Islands
56.2%
67.3%
66.2%
94.9%
83.1%
Participation Range
~55% to 69%
~ 40% to 54%
f2a 25% to 39%
D 24% and Under
D.C.
Guam
Puerto Rico
Samoa, Amer.
Virgin Islands
86.5%
28.4%
64.3% .
96.2%
65 .2%
13
School Breakfast Program
Authorized on a limited basis in 1966, the
School Breakfast Program was made available
in 1973 to all schools desiring it. The Federal
Government provides cash and donated foods to
States to assist in providing school breakfast
service.
In fiscal year 1975:
• The program reached 2 million children, 33
percent more than the previous year. Nearly
14,000 schools took part in the program, a
gain of 2,000 schools from fiscal year 1974.
• Almost 83 percent of the 292 million meals
served under the program were provided free
or at reduced price to needy children.
• Federal contributions totaled $94.1 million
including $8.8 million worth of donated foods
and $85.3 million in cash reimbursement pay­ments.
The total was 42.8 percent above the
previous year's figure.
Participation
• The average Federal contribution per break­fast
came to 32.2 cents, of which three cents
represented the value of federally donated
foods. The contribution is up 10.6 percent
from the previous year, due in part to man­dated
semiannual adjustments of payment
rates in line with food price changes.
(Children Reached-Peak)
Millions of Children
Total Breakfasts Served
Millions of Breakfasts
Federal Contribution
Millions of Dollars
Up 33.3%
2.0
1.5
Fiscal Year '74
• Free-Reduced Price
14
Up 28.8%
292.0
226.7
'75
E;S3 Paid
'74 '75
Up 42.8%
94.1
65.9
'74
~Commodities
.Cash
'75
Special Food Service Program
The Special Food Service Program , started in
1968, provides assistance for meal service in
year-round day care centers and Head Start
programs, primarily for preschool children of
low- income or working mothers. In summer the
program provides nutritious meals to needy
school-age children in parks, playgrounds, and
recreation programs .
In fiscal year 1975:
• The summer phase of the program reached
1.8 million children, 400,000 more than the
previous year, due primarily to increases in
participation in larger cities. The year-round
program served 440,000 children, a 17-
percent gain over 1974. This is largely there­sult
of the continuing transfer of responsi­bility
for the food service activities of Head
Start programs to the Special Food Service
Program .
• A total of 311 m iII ion meals were served, 37
percent more than the previous year. Over
70 percent of the total was provided in the
year-round program .
• More than 9,400 centers were involved in the
year-round program and 12,500 in the
summer activities, for a total 21,900. That
compares with 19,000 during the previous
year.
• Federal contributions increased 62.6 percent
to $105.5 mijlion. The summer activities ac­counted
for $52.7 million, while the year­round
program used $52.8 million.
Average Daily
Attendance (Peak)
Thousands of Children
Total Meals Served
Millions
Federal Contribution
(Including Equipment)
Millions of Dollars
Up 27.5% Up 37% Up 62.6%
2,270.1 310.9 105.5
1,780.1
227.0
64.9
Fiscal Year '74 '75 '74 '75 '74 '75
• Summer ~Year Round
15
Nonfood Assistance Program
The Nonfood Assistance Program helps State
educational agencies to finance food service
equipment to enable schools in low-income
areas to establish, expand , and maintain food
service programs. Schools receiving the aid
must take part in the National School Lunch or
School Breakfast Programs.
In fiscal year 1975:
• Total average daily attendance at schools re­ceiving
nonfood assi.stance was 2.9 million
children, as compared to 4.3 million a year
earlier.
• A total of $23 million was provided to assist
6,589 schools to buy equipment, of which
$10.5 million went to 1,006 schools that had
previously been without food service.
• The average expenditures per school rose to
$3,494 , an increase of 9 percent over fiscal
year 1974. The average was $10,485 per
school in those starting new programs, and
$2,235 per school in those with existing
programs.
Schools Assisted Federal Payments
Millions of Dollars
Down 22.4%
8,489
6,589
Fiscal Year
16
'74 '75
Dow.n 15. 4%
27.2
23.0
'74 '75
Special Milk Program
The Special Milk Program reimburses schools,
child care centers, settlement houses, and
summer camps for part or all of the cost of milk
served, and thus reduces the cost to the
children. This program is especially important
where there is no regular food service.
In fiscal year 1975:
• Milk served under the Special Milk Program
totaled 2.1 billion half pints, at a Federal cost
of $122.9 million.
• New legislation established a minimum rate
of reimbursement of 5 cents per half pint
served under the program and required the
service of free milk-reimbursed at full
cost-to needy children eligible for free
meals.
Number of 1!2 Pints of Milk
Billions of 1/2 Pints
Federal Payments
M iII ions of Dollars
Up 50% Up 149.8%
2.1 122.9
1.4
49.2
Fiscal Year '74 '75 '74 '75
17
Summary of Food and Nutrition Programs
Preliminary, FY 1975 (United States)
I - Total Federal Payments for all FNS Programs
Cash Commodities Total Percent of U.S. Total
Federal Payments (mil.) $ 6,111.7 $ 507 . 7 $ 6,619.4 100 .0%
II - Availability of Child Nutrition Progra.ms In Schools
Total National School lunch
Public and Percent
Private Number of
Schools Total
Total Schools 110,164 88.459 80.3%
Eligible Schools 109,678 * *
Total EnrolL (OOO's) 50,961 .9 44,753.6 87 .8%
El ig. Enroll. (OOO's) 50,821.1 * *
Ill - Child Nutrition Programs In Schools
Item
Participants (peak reached) 1
Receiving Free and Reduced Price
Meals (peak reached) 1
Total Meals Served 1
Percent Free and Reduced Pr ice
Total Meals Served Daily 1
All Federal Payments 1
Total Program Cash Payments 1
State Administrative Expense (SAE) 1
Federal Cost of Commodities 1
Total Value of Food Used 1
Local Food Purchases 1
Federal Prog . Payments (Excl. SAE) 1
Per Child
Per Meal (cents)
1 All Numbers rounded to millions.
IV - Special Milk Program
Number of Outlets
Number of Half-Pints Served1
Federal Payments 1
1 All Numbers rounded to millions.
*Not applicable.
18
Total
*
*
4,378.9
42.6%
l 25 .2
$1,825.8
$1,392.5
$ 6.7
$ 426.6
$2,226.6
$1,800.0
$1,819.1
*
*
Total
87,969
2,133.3
$ 122.9
Breakfast Nonfood Assistance
Percent Percent
Number of Number of
Total Total
13,938 12.7% 6,589 6.0%
* * * *
6,522.1 12 . 8% 2 ,947.0 5.8%
* * * *
National School Nonfood
School lunch Breakfast Assistance
Program Program Program
25.4 2 .0 ! 2 .9
10.4 1.6 *
4,086.9 292.0 *
39. 8% 82.5% *
23.4 1.8 *
$1,702.0 $ 94.1 $23.0
$1,284.2 $ 85.3 $23. 0
* * *
$ 417.8 $ 8.8 *
* * *
* * *
* * *
$ 67.01 $ 47.05 $ 7.93
41.6¢ 32.2¢ *
Schools
Child Care Summer
Institutions Camps
82,665 1,616 3,688
2,0tl3.4 50.8 39. 1
$ 118.4 $ 2.5; 2.0
V - Special Food Service Program 2
Summer Only Year Round Summer Only Year Round
Number of Outlets (Pea k) 12,519 9.413 Fe d e ral Payments 1 $52.7 $51.4
ADA (thous. Peak) 1 ,829 .7 440.4 Ca s h 1 $52.1 $46.2
Total Meals Served 1 87 .2 223.7 Commoditi es 1 $ 0.6 $ 5 . 2
Percent Free Meals 93 .3 % 88.8% Per Me al (cents ) 60.4¢ 23.0¢
1AII Numbers rounded to million s.
2E xcludes NonFood Assistance Funds w hi c h provided $1.423 ,951 to 658 Outl et s with ADA of 111,356.
VI - Special Supplemental Food Program (WIC)
Average Participation 1 Value of Benefits 1 Administrative Funds 1
Monthly Avg. Bene-fits
per Person
0.3 $70.4 $11.7 $17.05
1 All Numbers rounded to millions.
VII - Food Distribution Program 1
Outlets Persons Participating Pounds Federal Cost for Commodities
Schools (Pk. Participation) 1
29.8 708.3 $432.4
Sections 32 and 416 1 * 559 .5 362.9
Section 6 1 * 135.6 63. 7
Special Food Service 1 * 13.2 5 . 8
Institutions (Pk. Participation) 1 2.7 29.2 18.5
Year Round 1 1.3 21 .9 14 .0
Summer Camps 1 1.4 7.3 4.5
Needy Persons (Average Participation) 1 O.q 156.8 56.8
Needy Families 1 0.3 98 .8 37. 5
Supplemental Fooq 1 0 . 1 52.9 17.4
Nutr. Prog. for Elderly 1 0.22 5 . 1 1.93
TOTAL 33. 1 894 .3 $507. 7
Cash Assistance to States for Needy Family Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2.2
Total Program Cost (Cash and Commodities). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $509 .9
1 All numbers rounded to millions.
2 Represents average number of meals served .
3Represents value of food distributed.
VIII- Food Stamp Program 1
Projects
Average Coupons Issued
Participation Total Bonus2 Monthly Avg. Per Person
(millions) (millions) (millions)
State Total 3,046 17 . 1 7,294.7 $4,404 .9 $21 . 43
1 Does not include Food Certificate Program which provided $681,450 for 7,877 participants in 3 project areas .
2 1nclude Food Stamp Disaster Relief Program which provided $1,167,178 for 30,134 participants in 18 project areas .
19