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Comment Request – Special Milk Program for Children 

August 12, 2022

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State and local operators are required to collect information concerning the operation of the Special Milk Program including the submission of applications and agreements, submission and payment of claims, and the maintenance of records. This is an ongoing collection that is both mandatory and required to obtain or retain benefit requirements.

Without this information, the Food Nutrition Service (FNS) would not be able to reimburse schools and institutions in a timely manner to allow them to properly administer the program. In addition, data reporting would be delayed, and the timely monitoring of program funding and program trends would be affected. If the recordkeeping activities were not conducted, FNS would be unable to provide adequate oversight of the SMP operators and state agencies.

Comments are requested regarding the collection of information for the Special Milk Program for Children.

Please submit a comment about the following:
  1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility.
  2. The accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
  3. Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.
  4. Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments regarding this information collection received by August 24, 2022, will be considered.
To submit a comment, check out Comment Request - Special Milk Program for Children | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov).

Summary of Special Milk Program and Reclassification

Section 3 of the Child Nutrition Act (CNA) (PL 89-642, as amended; 42 USC 1772) authorizes the Special Milk Program (SMP) for Children Under such rules and regulations as the Secretary may deem in the public interest, to encourage consumption of fluid milk by children in the United States in (1) nonprofit schools of high school grade and under, and (2) nonprofit nursery schools, child care centers, settlement houses, summer camps, and similar nonprofit institutions devoted to the care and training of children, which do not participate in a food service program authorized under the CNA.

Nonprofit childcare and nursery schools, which were originally classified as state, local, or tribal respondents, have been reclassified as business respondents. This reclassification, however, does not impact the reporting or recordkeeping burden for this collection, which remains unchanged from the last renewal.