Welfare Info

Commodity Supplemental Food Program

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) works to improve the health of low-income elderly persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) foods and providing basic nutrition ed...

What is Commodity Supplemental Food Program?

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) works to improve the health of low-income elderly persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious, 100 percent domestic USDA Foods. 

CSFP is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Through CSFP, USDA distributes both food and administrative funds to participating States and Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs). CSFP food packages are not intended to comprise a complete diet, but rather are good sources of the nutrients typically lacking in the diets of the target population.

Program Requirements

To be eligible for the program, individuals must be at least 60 years of age. 

States also establish income guidelines to determine program eligibility, which must be set at or below 130 percent of Federal poverty income guidelines. 

States may require that participants be at nutritional risk, as determined by a physician or local agency staff. States may also require that an individual reside within the service area of the local agency at the time they apply for program benefits. However, States may not require that the individual reside within the area for any fixed period of time.

Application Details

What is the application process for Commodity Supplemental Food Program?

An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the point of contact in his or her State for more information on applying for assistance. A list of State contacts may be found on the Food Distribution website.