Minnesota expands free meal access for students through USDA pilot program

An additional 90,000 students in Minnesota will receive free meals this school year, The Journal reports.

The state is one of eight participating in a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pilot program through which students on Medicaid are automatically enrolled for free school meals.

For the past two years, school across have been able to provide free meals to all students using a series of school nutrition waivers issued by the USDA. The waivers expired this summer, however, and several states are working to continue to provide free meals to students this upcoming school year.