The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) is clarifying the geographic preference option—a tool designed to help child nutrition program (CNP) operators more easily purchase local foods for program meals. The update is part of the Harvest to Hallways Initiative and reflects Secretary Rollins’s commitment to clarify statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements. It aims to support CNP operators in bringing more locally sourced food to students’ plates.

The new rule, “Simplified Geographic Preference Procurement in Child Nutrition Programs,” does not change the meaning of the geographic preference option or how it is implemented. Instead, it makes the regulatory language easier to understand, and it explains how CNP operators may use geographic preference option strategies when buying unprocessed agricultural products.

As a reminder, the geographic preference option gives CNP operators the discretion to define local when buying food. It also allows CNP operators to:

• Use a local product specification—requiring unprocessed agricultural products to be from a specified local area for a bid to be considered.

• Give a defined scoring advantage (e.g., extra points or credit) for local, unprocessed foods when evaluating offers.

Additionally, when using a defined scoring advantage, CNP operators may determine the amount of preference to give to unprocessed agricultural products that match their local definition(s) and the method for applying it.

The rule takes effect on November 9, 2026. We will publish a memorandum on the rule soon, clarifying the changes and the agency’s intent. In the meantime, check out the updated rule and consider how geographic preference can help your CNP source more local!

Hungry for more local food resources? Explore our latest local procurement memos, including Harvest to Hallways: Resources for Procuring Local Foods in School Year 2026-2027, Incorporating Local Beef into Child Nutrition Program Meals, and Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods.