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                USDA.gov Completed Peer Review Plans and Reports
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          FNS Peer Review Agenda
    WIC Cost Containment StudyThis study will examine methods used by states to contain costs and their relative effectiveness. There have been major changes to the program since the last comprehensive study on this topic was published in 2003. These include substantial revisions to food packages, expansion of EBT, and improvements in vendor management such as use of peer groups. This study will provide a national picture of the use of various cost containment practices; help identify advanced approaches to develop competitive price and reimbursement rules that could be adopted by states; and examine their possible impact on program cost, food instrument redemption rates, and variety of foods selected by participants. Results would be used to identify and disseminate best practices to move states to improve performance.Peer Review Plan (updated April 2022)Completed Study (released November 2022)National Survey of WIC Participants-IIIThis periodic study is the major source of information on a number of important program issues, including the program’s rate of certification error and the percent of WIC participants receiving other program benefits. There have been significant program changes since the last data collection, including changes in the food packages, an increased reliance on EBT, and availability of the option for 12-month child certification. This project will update the study design, data collection instruments, and report elements based on stakeholder input, field the data collection, and analyze the data to meet the broadest range of WIC information needs.Peer Review Plan (updated July 2019)Completed Study (released December 2021)USDA Summer Meals StudyThe USDA Summer Meals Study (formerly the Summer Food Service Program Participant Characteristics and Meal Analysis of Quality Study) is designed to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date understanding of sponsor, site, and household-level participation in the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program’s Seamless Summer Option. Unique to this study is the household level data on why families do or do not participate in summer meal programs and their satisfaction with the programs. The study will also provide nationally representative data on the motivators and barriers to preparing and serving summer meals; meal service characteristics; the nutritional quality of meals offered; and reasons for discontinuing program participation among former sponsors. This is the first national study to simultaneously examine the facilitators and barriers to program participation among caregivers of participants and nonparticipants, as well as examine site and sponsor characteristics and meal quality, shedding light on how program characteristics impact participation and household satisfaction with the program.Peer Review Plan (updated July 2019)Completed Study (released October 2021)Study of Nutrition and Activity in Childcare Settings in USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food ProgramRequired by Section 223 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (PL 111-296), the study is a national study of child care centers and family or group day care homes that includes an assessment of (1) the nutritional quality of all foods provided to children in child care settings as compared to the recommendations in most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, (2) the quantity and type of opportunities for physical activity provided to children in child care settings; (3) the quantity of time spent by children in child care settings in sedentary activities; and (4) an assessment of barriers and facilitators to nutritional and wellness quality. In addition, the study will subsample providers participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program so all analyses can be conducted separately for CACFP. The CACFP-focused analysis will also provide a cost analysis to determine the cost of providing meals and snacks in CACFP.Peer Review Plan (updated June 2016)Completed Study (released October 2021)Evaluation of SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) PilotsThe Agriculture Act of 2014 (PL 113-79, Section 4022) authorized USDA to enter into cooperative agreements with state agencies to carry out pilot projects designed to raise employment, increase earnings, and reduce reliance on public assistance, including the benefits provided by SNAP. This study is an independent evaluation of these projects designed to determine differences in employment, earnings, and public assistance expenditures between those who receive the pilot services offered and a control group that does not receive such services, in order to identify the most effective interventions for wider implementation.Peer Review Plan (updated April 2022)Completed Study (released September 2021)Farm to School Census ReportFarm to School programs aim to strengthen knowledge about agriculture, food, nutrition, and the environment; increase children’s consumption of fruits and vegetables; increase opportunities for farmers and other food producers; and support economic development. This census study will provide information on the magnitude of local sourcing procurement and the prevalence of other farm to school activities.Peer Review Plan (updated July 2019)Completed Study (released July 2021)School Nutrition and Meal Cost StudyThis study examines the relationships between school environment and school food service operations, nutritional quality of meals offered and served in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, costs to produce reimbursable meals, and student participation, participant characteristics, satisfaction and related attitudes toward the school lunch and breakfast programs.Peer Review Plan (updated July 2019)Completed Study (Released April 2019)Summer EBT for Children Comprehensive Final ReportAuthorized under the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (PL 111-8), the Summer EBT for Children (SEBTC) demonstrations rigorously test and evaluate the extent to which the use of electronic benefits technologies can be used to reduce food insecurity among children eligible for assistance through the FNS National School Lunch and Summer Food Service Programs. During the summer, when school is not in session, only about fifteen percent of eligible children are reached by these feeding programs. SEBTC is intended to bridge this gap.Peer Review Plan (updated December 2012)Completed Study (released May 2016)School Nutrition Dietary Assessment IVUpdates information on three areas of interest to policy makers: (1) characteristics of the school environment and school food service operations; (2) nutritional quality of meals offered and served in the school meal programs, and of foods sold in competition with school meals; and (3) student participation, participant characteristics, satisfaction, and related attitudes toward the school lunch and breakfast program.Peer Review Plan (updated November 2011)Peer Review CommentsCompleted Study (released November 2012)Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) EvaluationAssesses the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, expanded across the nation by the FCEA, to determine whether children (a) experienced, as a result of participating in the program, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and (b) made other dietary changes, such as decreased consumption of less nutritious foods.Peer Review Plan (updated November 2011)Peer Review CommentsCompleted Study (released March 2013)Birth Month Breastfeeding Changes to the WIC Food PackageAssesses the effect of birth month changes in breastfeeding practices resulting from the changes to the provision of infant formula made as part of the update to the WIC food package.Peer Review Plan (updated December 2011)Peer Review CommentsCompleted Study (released December 2011)Healthy Incentive Pilots (HIP)The Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 authorized USDA to carry out pilot projects to develop, test and evaluate methods of using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to improve the dietary and health status of households eligible for or participating in SNAP. Specifically, it provides $20 million to test the effects of providing financial incentives at the point-of-purchase to encourage SNAP households to purchase fruits, vegetables or other healthful foods.The Healthy Incentive Pilot includes a rigorous evaluation, supported by a technical working group (TWG) to provide external advice and input on the evaluation research design, early results, the final report, and to provide other consultation services as needed. The TWG includes five outside experts in relevant areas of research and subject matter experts from other federal government agencies.Peer Review Plan (revised January 2013)Peer Review Report – Data Collection (February 2011)Technical Memorandum : TWG Meeting on HIP Evaluation Analysis (April 2013)Technical Memorandum : TWG Feedback on Final Evaluation Report (August 2014)School Nutrition Dietary Assessment IIIAs part of the agency's periodic assessment of the nutritional effects of school meals, this study will update information on five areas of interest to policy makers: (1) characteristics of the school environment and school food service operations; (2) nutritional quality of meals offered and served in the school meal programs; (3) student participation, participant characteristics, satisfaction, and related attitudes toward the school lunch and breakfast program; and (4) student dietary intakes and the contribution of school meals to these dietary intakes.Peer Review Plan (completed December 2005)Peer Review Report (review comments received June 2007, report posted December 2007)Completed Study (released November 2007)ContactJoseph Clift, FNS Peer Review OfficialAssistant Deputy Administrator for Policy Support1320 Braddock PlaceAlexandria, VA 22314Email: Joseph.Clift@usda.govPage updated: December 28, 2023 Return to top

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