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The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was established in August 8, 1969. FNS is the Federal agency responsible for administering the nation’s domestic nutrition assistance programs. It administers the programs through its Headquarters (HQ) in Alexandria, VA; Regional offices (ROs) in San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, and Robbinsville (NJ); and field offices throughout the US. While its staff number amongst USDA's fewest, its budget is by far the largest. FNS products and services enhance the lives of one in five Americans; its main products and services include:

• commodities supplied as: prepared meals that are served at congregate feeding sites; food packages that may be used for home consumption; and disaster relief assistance;
• food assistance through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards; nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free meals and snacks; vouchers; and, fresh, locally grown produce;
• nutrition education and promotion materials and presentations delivered by expert staff and senior managers; and
• food safety and security efforts, technical assistance and informational materials.

These products and services are provided to customers through fifteen domestic nutrition assistance programs:

• Food Stamp Program (FSP)
• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• School Breakfast Program (SBP)
• Special Milk Program (SMP)
• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
• Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
• The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Pacific Island Assistance Program
• Nutrition Assistance Block Grants
• Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

In the United States, the lunches that are subsidized by the NSLP are nearly ubiquitous in public schools. The program has operated since 1946.

The FNS is in charge of the national "Five A Day" and "Eat Smart, Play Hard" campaigns which encourage Americans (more specifically, children and teens) to follow the healthy eating guidelines set by the Food Pyramid. The spokescharacter of the "Eat Smart, Play Hard" campaign is Power Panther.

The National 5 A Day is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, not USDA's Food and Nutrition Service.

• Food and Nutrition Service. Retrieved on October 10, 2005.

v • d • e  Agencies under the United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service • Agricultural Research Service  • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service  • Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion • Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service • Economic Research Service • Farm Service Agency • Federal Crop Insurance Corporation • Food and Nutrition Service • Food Safety and Inspection Service • Foreign Agricultural Service • Forest Service • Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration • National Agricultural Library • National Agricultural Statistics Service • Natural Resources Conservation Service • Risk Management Agency • Rural Development

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