On June 22, 2026, a federal district court issued a significant ruling in Aragon v. Rollins, holding that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) exceeded its legal authority when it approved state demonstration projects that restricted what Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants could purchase with their benefits.
New Bedford Public Schools served more than 1.2 million breakfasts, 1.9 million lunches, and 65,000 afterschool meals during the 2024–25 school year. On an average day, over 60 percent of the district’s students participate in school breakfast.
As of December 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a notice of proposed rulemaking pending that would eliminate states’ ability to use broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE), a policy that streamlines the administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Currently, 43 states and the District of Columbia use BBCE to help ensure that food-insecure residents have access to the nutrition they need to thrive.
