Introduction to FOIA

Welcome to the FNS Freedom of Information Act Home Page. The FOIA (5 U.S.C. §552) was enacted in 1966 and provides that any person has the right to request access to Federal agency records or information, except to the extent that such records are protected from release by a FOIA exemption or exclusion. It is FNS policy to release information to the fullest extent of the law including releasing information that may be legally withheld provided there is no foreseeable harm associated with the release. This right of access is enforceable in court.

The 1996 amendments to the FOIA (E-FOIA) mandate that agency responses to popular requests and other materials routinely available to the public be made available to the public electronically. To this end we have established the FNS Electronic Reading Room to assist the public in obtaining such information electronically.

We hope you enjoy your visit to the new FNS FOIA Home Page and come back often.

What's New

As our first task, we have listed unpublished Agency policies in an Index of Records that are available to the public, and listed program issuances in our Table of Contents of FNS Instructions, Handbooks, and Supplements. Please go to the FOIA Requests page to order specific publications.

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