The USDA agency whose goals are to provide needy people with access to a more nutritious diet, to improve the eating habits of the nation's children, and to stabilise farm prices through the distribution of surplus foods. It administers 15 domestic food assistance programmes (including the food stamp program, child nutrition programmes (e.g., school feeding programs), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition programme for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)). FNS works in partnership with the states and reimburses most of the administrative costs the states incur for carrying out local programme administration.