Commodity Supplemental Food Program: Elderly Income Guidelines

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

Commodity Supplemental Food Program: Elderly Income Guidelines

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the adjusted income guidelines to be

used by State agencies in determining the eligibility of elderly

persons applying to participate in the Commodity Supplemental Food

Program (CSFP). These guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the

CSFP regulations under 7 CFR Part 247.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lillie F. Ragan, Assistant Branch

Chief, Household Programs Branch, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101

Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302-1594, or telephone (703)

305-2662.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulatory Flexibility Act

This action 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.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This notice does not contain reporting or recordkeeping

requirements subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget

in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.

3507).

Executive Order 12372

This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Programs under No. 10.565 and is subject to the provisions

of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation

with State and local officials (7 CFR Part 3015, Subpart V, 48 FR

29112).

Description

On December 23, 1985, the President signed the Food Security Act of

1985 (Pub. L. 99-198). This legislation amended sections 5(f) and (g)

of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c

note) to require that the Secretary permit agencies administering the

CSFP to serve elderly persons if such service can be provided without

reducing service levels for women, infants, and children. The law also

mandates establishment of income eligibility requirements for elderly

participation. Prior to enactment of Pub. L. 99-198, elderly

participation was restricted by law to three designated pilot projects

which served the elderly in accordance with agreements with the

Department.

In order to implement the CSFP mandates of Pub. L. 99-198, the

Department published an interim rule on September 17, 1986 at 51 FR

32895 and a final rule on February 18, 1988, at 58 FR 8287. These

regulations defined ``elderly persons'' as those who are 60 years or

older (7 CFR 247.2). The final rule further stipulates that elderly

persons certified on or after September 17, 1986 must have ``household

income at or below 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines

published annually by the Department of Health and Human Services'' (7

CFR 247.7(a)(3)).

The Federal Poverty Income Guidelines are revised annually to

reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. The revision for 1998 was

published by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in the

Federal Register for February 24, 1998 at 63 FR 9235. To establish

income limits of 130 percent, the guidelines were multiplied by 1.30

and the results rounded up to the next whole dollar.

At this time, the Department is publishing the income limits of 130

percent of the poverty income guidelines. The table in this notice

contains the income limits by household size to be used for elderly

certification in the CSFP for the period July 1, 1998-June 30, 1999.

Effective July 1, 1998--June 30, 1999--FNS Income Eligibility

Guidelines for the Elderly in CSFP (130 Percent of Poverty Income

Guidelines)

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Family size Annual Month Week

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1............................................ 10,465 873 202

2............................................ 14,105 1,176 272

3............................................ 17,745 1,479 342

4............................................ 21,385 1,783 412

5............................................ 25,025 2,086 482

6............................................ 28,665 2,389 552

7............................................ 32,305 2,693 622

8............................................ 35,945 2,996 692

For each additional family member add........ +3,640 +304 +70

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Dated: April 20, 1998.

Yvette S. Jackson,

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.

[FR Doc. 98-11183 Filed 4-27-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-30-P