The Impact of Federal Commodity Donations on the School Lunch Program

The Department of Agriculture's (USDA) purchasing and distributing of commodities for the school lunch program was reviewed in five States (California, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) and 15 school districts to: assess the responsiveness of the Federal commodity program to the needs of school districts; evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of school districts receiving cash in lieu of Federal commodities under the school lunch program; and assess the reasons for plate waste (food served to the student but not eaten) in the school lunch program and identify possible solutions to the problem.