DPI details USDA meal programs, summer EBT expansion and local food grants

Bismarck — Lanelle Johnson, director of Child Nutrition and Food Distribution at the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, briefed the Joint Education Committee on the department’s 12 USDA‑administered programs that supply meals and food assistance to students, child‑care providers and low‑income households.

Johnson said school meal entitlement dollars are provided based on meals served in the prior year and can be used for commodity (“brown box”) purchases, further processing or the Department of Defense fresh produce program. She told the committee that in fiscal 2023–24 federal reimbursements delivered approximately $35 million to schools for meals and the department received other federal administrative funds as well.

Johnson described reimbursement rates for 2023–24, noting an example: the federal reimbursement for a breakfast was $2.28 for a free breakfast (including a 30‑cent state top‑up), $1.98 for a reduced breakfast and $0.38 for a full‑price breakfast. She said schools still receive some federal reimbursement for full‑price meals.

Johnson summarized the Summer EBT program — the rebranded Pandemic EBT — which issued $120 per eligible child in summer benefit value. She said roughly 38,000 cards were issued for the summer and the total USDA dollars spent in the program that summer was about $4.6 million; about 31,000 students were “streamline eligible” and another 5,000 applied through DPI’s portal.

She told the committee that schools receive USDA commodities based on prior‑year meal counts and noted program variants that serve childcare, residential facilities, tribal reservation programs and non‑profit partners. Johnson said the department distributes REA grants (about $35,000 per REA), paid student contract reimbursements when processed (many coming in May–June), and distributes gifted‑and‑talented payments in February.

Looking ahead, Johnson said DPI expects to apply for roughly $2.7 million in USDA local food purchase grants that would support schools and child‑care providers in buying locally produced foods, and the department received a Team Nutrition training grant to provide recipe and culinary training to support upcoming USDA guidelines to reduce sugar and sodium.

On share tables, Johnson said the department encourages districts to use them and provides guidance in its annual production records, but health‑department rules vary locally and can affect whether particular items are allowed on a share table.

Why it matters: Johnson said the programs provide food security for students and families and noted expansion of summer benefits and planned grants that aim to increase use of local foods and improve meal quality.

Representative Haynor asked which age groups attend summer sites; Johnson said participation varies but is primarily elementary students. Representative Novak raised the share‑table question and Johnson said DPI encourages share tables and publishes guidance but local health rules may limit specific items.