[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 7, Volume 4]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 7CFR271.1]



[Page 547]

 

                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE

 

    CHAPTER II--FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

 

PART 271_GENERAL INFORMATION AND DEFINITIONS--Table of Contents

 

Sec. 271.1  General purpose and scope.









Sec.

271.1 General purpose and scope.

271.2 Definitions.

271.3 Delegations to FNS for administration.

271.4 Delegations to State agencies for administration.

271.5 Coupons as obligations of the United States, crimes and offenses.

271.6 Complaint procedure.

271.7 Allotment reduction procedures.

271.8 Information collection/recordkeeping--OMB assigned control 

          numbers.



    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2011-2036.





    (a) Purpose of the food stamp program. The food stamp program is 

designed to promote the general welfare and to safeguard the health and 

well being of the Nation's population by raising the levels of nutrition 

among low-income households. Section 2 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 

states, in part:



    Congress hereby finds that the limited food purchasing power of low-

income households contributes to hunger and malnutrition among members 

of such households. Congress further finds that increased utilization of 

food in establishing and maintaining adequate national levels of 

nutrition will promote the distribution in a beneficial manner of the 

Nation's agricultural abundance and will strengthen the Nation's 

agricultural economy, as well as result in more orderly marketing and 

distribution of foods. To alleviate such hunger and malnutrition, a food 

stamp program is herein authorized which will permit low-income 

households to obtain a more nutritious diet through normal channels of 

trade by increasing food purchasing power for all eligible households 

who apply for participation.



    (b) Scope of the regulations. Part 271 contains general information, 

definitions, and other material applicable to all parts of this 

subchapter. Part 272 sets forth policies and procedures governing State 

agencies which participate in the program. Part 273 describes the 

eligibility criteria to be applied by State agencies and related 

processing requirements and standards. Part 274 provides requirements 

for the issuance of coupons to eligible households and establishes 

related issuance responsibilities. Part 275 sets forth guidelines for 

monitoring the food stamp program, analyzing the results and formulating 

corrective action. Part 276 establishes State agency liability and 

certain Federal sanctions. Part 277 outlines procedures for payment of 

administrative costs of State agencies. Part 278 delineates the terms 

and conditions for the participation of retail food stores, wholesale 

food concerns, meal services, and insured financial institutions. Part 

279 establishes the procedures for administrative and judicial reviews 

requested by food retailers, food wholesalers, and meal services. Part 

280 explains procedures for issuing emergency coupon allotments to 

certain victims of disasters unable to purchase adequate amounts of 

food. Part 281 sets forth guidelines for designating Indian tribes as 

State agencies. Part 282 provides guidelines for initiation, selection, 

and operation of demonstration, research, and evaluation projects. Part 

284 provides for a nutrition assistance program for the Commonwealth of 

the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Part 285 describes the general 

terms and conditions under which grant funds are provided to the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.



[Amdt. 132, 43 FR 47882, Oct. 17, 1982, as amended by Amdt. 216, 47 FR 

23461, May 28, 1982; Amdt. 248, 48 FR 16832, Apr. 19, 1983; Amdt. 356, 

59 FR 29713, June 9, 1994]