Notice2026-07843
Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program; 2026 Benefit Levels
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 22, 2026
Effective
January 1, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentFood and Nutrition Service
Abstract
This notice informs the public of the annual adjustments to the levels of monthly benefits in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) Program. These adjustments reflect changes in the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), as required under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 77 (Wednesday, April 22, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 77 (Wednesday, April 22, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21396-21398]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07843]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program; 2026
Benefit Levels
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice informs the public of the annual adjustments to
the levels of monthly benefits in the Summer Electronic Benefits
Transfer for Children
[[Page 21397]]
(Summer EBT) Program. These adjustments reflect changes in the Thrifty
Food Plan (TFP), as required under the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act.
DATES: These benefit levels are in effect January 1, 2026, through
December 31, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Fiala, Director, Summer EBT
Program Division, Child Nutrition Programs, Food and Nutrition Service,
United States Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Suite
401, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, (703) 305-2590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Summer EBT Program is listed in the
Assistance Listings under Number 10.646. In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, no new
recordkeeping or reporting requirements have been included that are
subject to approval from the Office of Management and Budget.
This notice is not a rule as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility
Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, and thus is exempt from the provisions of that
Act. Additionally, this notice has been determined to be exempt from
formal review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive
Order 12866.
Summary
Section 13A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42
U.S.C. 1762, established the value of Summer EBT benefits in 2024 at
$40 per child for each month of the summer and requires the Secretary
to annually adjust the Summer EBT benefit amounts beginning in calendar
year 2025, to reflect changes in the cost of food as measured by the
TFP rounded down to the nearest dollar increment.
USDA adjusted the Summer EBT benefit levels to reflect the
differences between the costs of providing meals and supplements in the
outlying areas (Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands) and the 48 states, the District of Columbia,
and Indian Tribal Organizations administering the Program within the
contiguous states, as consistent with law and other nutrition
assistance programs. The benefit levels for the outlying areas were
established in 2024 and are also annually adjusted.
This notice provides the 2026 Summer EBT monthly and total summer
benefit levels. The law requires the adjusted level to be rounded down
to the nearest dollar amount. The total summer benefit level is the
rounded down monthly level multiplied by three.
Calculation of Benefit Levels
Contiguous States and Indian Tribal Organizations: The adjustment
is based on the monthly TFP cost for a reference family of four. The
change for the 12-month period ending on November 30th of the preceding
calendar year is used to adjust the benefit level from the previous
year. The November 2024 to November 2025 percent change is .49 percent,
which results in no change in monthly benefit levels for 2026. The
benefits for 2026 remain at $40 (rounded down from $40.82) monthly and
$120 total.
Alaska: The adjustments are based on the Alaska monthly TFP cost
for a reference family of four. The change for the 12-month period
ending on November 30th of the preceding calendar year is used to
adjust the benefit levels from the previous year for the three Alaska
geographic areas. The November 2024 to November 2025 percent change is
3.30 percent. This percentage change is applied to the Urban, Rural I,
and Rural II benefit levels from the prior year and rounded down to the
nearest dollar increment. The adjusted 2026 monthly benefit for Urban
Alaska is $54 (rounded down from $54.24), for Rural 1 Alaska is $69
(rounded down from $69.17), and for Rural 2 Alaska is $84 (rounded down
from $84.18). The 2026 total summer benefits for Urban Alaska increase
to $162, for Rural I increase to $207, and for Rural II increase to
$252.
Hawaii: The adjustment is based on the Hawaii monthly TFP cost for
a reference family of four. The change for the 12-month period ending
on November 30th of the preceding calendar year is used to adjust the
benefit level from the previous year. The November 2024 to November
2025 percent change is 6.20 percent. The 2026 monthly benefit of $63
(rounded down from $63.41) and 2026 total summer benefits of $189 have
increased from 2025.
U.S. Territories (Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands): Monthly TFP costs for Guam and the U.S. Virgin
Islands are not currently produced and Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands do not participate in
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Therefore, the
benefit amount is based on the percent difference between maximum SNAP
allotment in the contiguous States and Guam. This results in annual
changes that are the same as the contiguous States for a reference
family of four, which is .49 percent in 2026. This results in a final
Territorial adjustment factor of 1.47 for 2026. The 2026 monthly
benefit increased by one dollar to $60 (rounded down from $60.16) and
2026 total summer benefits of $180 have increased from 2025.
The 2026 benefit levels are presented below, along with the 2025
benefit levels.
Table of 2026 Benefit Levels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2025 Monthly 2026 Monthly 2025 Summer 2026 Summer
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
48 States and the District of Columbia.......... $40 $40 $120 $120
Alaska:
Urban....................................... 52 54 156 162
Rural 1..................................... 66 69 198 207
Rural 2..................................... 81 84 243 252
Hawaii.......................................... 59 63 177 189
Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin 59 60 177 180
Islands of the United States, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 21398]]
Patrick A. Penn,
Deputy Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services.
[FR Doc. 2026-07843 Filed 4-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 22, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.