established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the school breakfast program established under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) and final regulations published by the Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on January 26, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 4088 et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture shall allow States to grant an exemption from the whole grain requirements that took effect on or after July 1, 2014, and the States shall establish a process for evaluating and responding, in a reasonable amount of time, to requests for an exemption: Provided , That school food authorities demonstrate hardship, including financial hardship, in procuring specific whole grain products which are acceptable to the students and compliant with the whole grain-rich requirements: Provided further , That school food authorities shall comply with the applicable grain component or standard with respect to the school lunch or school breakfast program that was in effect prior to July 1, 2014. (b) For the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act through school year 2018–2019, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of personnel to implement any regulations under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 ( Public Law 111–296 ), or any other law that would require a reduction in the quantity of sodium contained in federally reimbursed meals, foods, and snacks sold in schools below Target 1 (as described in section 220.8(f)(3) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations)). (c) For the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act through school year 2018–2019, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall allow States to grant special exemptions for the service of flavored, low-fat