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Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
2024 - 04
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Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Division of Finance and Support Services
Child Nutrition Programs
P.O. Box 110500
Juneau, AK 99811 |
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Subscription Management
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USDA Policy, Information, and Implementation Memos |
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Sponsoring organizations and institutions are required by regulation to keep Bulletins, Instructions, and USDA Policy Memorandums for reference and to apply immediately the appropriate instruction to agency programs. Call Child Nutrition Programs if you need further clarification.
On February 21, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published the Proposed Rule entitled "Serious Deficiency Process in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)” in the Federal Register.
The proposed rule can be viewed here: Federal Register Notice
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What's in the Proposed Rule?
- Defines key terms
- Establishes a timeline for full correction
- Establishes criteria for determining when the serious deficiency process must be implemented
- Extends the process to CACFP unaffiliated sponsored centers
- Proposes updates to the suspension process in CACFP
- Establishes a serious deficiency process in SFSP and proposes options on implementing suspension in SFSP
These changes will improve consistency in the serious deficiency process within and across States and strengthen program integrity.
Please see FNS’s Serious Deficiency Process in the CACFP and SFSP webpage for more information, including a summary chart of proposed provisions.
Request for Comments
Written comments must be received on or before May 21, 2024 to be assured of consideration.
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Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
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Mail: Send comments to: Navneet Kaur Sandhu, Program Integrity and Innovation Division, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314.
All written comments submitted in response to the provisions of this proposed rule will be included in the record and will be made available to the public. Please be advised that the substance of the comments and the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be subject to public disclosure. USDA will make the written comments publicly available on the internet via https://www.regulations.gov.
Proposed Rule Webinar for CAFCP Sponsoring Organizations
If you want to know more, FNS will host a webinar providing an overview of the Proposed Rule for CACFP sponsoring organizations. This webinar is only for administering agencies. Registration is required.
WHEN: February 29, 2024, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM Eastern
You can also register by clicking the box below:
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CACFP Roundtable Meetings are Back!
Join us on the first Monday of every month from 1:30-2:30 pm for our CACFP Roundtable Meeting. These monthly meetings will cover any policy updates from USDA or any program changes. They are also a good time to ask questions.
Our first meeting is on March 4 via Teams and we will send an agenda out before we meet. Please contact Jennifer Cherian for the calendar invite.
Serving Sizes on CACFP Cycle Menus
How does your kitchen staff identify required portions and serving sizes consistently?
In recent years, the CACFP cycle menu template has been updated to include columns on Planned Serving Size. If you are working on an older template, please consider using the updated form, or something similar that allows you to record real portion sizes. This helps your kitchen staff know exactly what and how much to prepare each time.
 Just a reminder that this cycle menu can be downloaded from CNP Web. Log in and head to your Checklist tab, and look for the Cycle Menus for Childcare M-F Template found in the Off-Line Forms section.
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Support the Use of Traditional Indigenous Foods in the Child Nutrition Programs
USDA FNS released a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Supporting the Use of Traditional Indigenous Foods in the Child Nutrition Programs Cooperative Agreement which will be open through March 18, 2024. Through this cooperative agreement, FNS will engage organizations led and primarily staffed by members of Federally Recognized Tribes and/or Native Hawaiians to provide regionally focused training and technical assistance to school nutrition professionals on procurement, preparation, and crediting of traditional Indigenous foods as part of the Child Nutrition Programs. The cooperators, with FNS guidance and approval, will also develop culturally relevant nutrition education materials for students to accompany the traditional Indigenous foods that are served, and the cooperators will train school nutrition professionals and other school staff on providing nutrition education to students.
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Webinars
Family Style Dining: Conversations Around the Table
Family style dining fosters not only healthy eating habits but also helps children learn the art of conversation, where little voices can be heard and cherished. This free webinar from the NCA shares tips on how to make family style dining kid-friendly and offers resources to start conversing with children at the table.
This webinar is on Thursday, March 28, 10:00 am Alaska.
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Child Nutrition (CN) Labeling Manual Now Online
The Child Nutrition (CN) Labeling Manual is now available online! This provides food manufacturers with instructions on how to apply for and obtain approval for a Child Nutrition (CN) label. CN labels are approved by USDA and provide a way for a manufacturer to demonstrate how a processed food product contributes to the meal pattern requirements in CNP. Even if you are not a food manufacturer, you may find the information on CN labeling helpful.
In addition, CN program operators can find other CN label-related resources at the CN Labeling Program website, which includes policy guidance and technical assistance.
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March 10-16, 2024 is CACFP Week
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It's not too early to start planning for CACFP Week! This is a national educational and information campaign that's sponsored annually by the National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) to raise awareness of how CACFP works to combat hunger. To many people, CACFP participation is an indicator of quality care.
You can participate by sharing the news with your parents and children. NCA has promotional flyers, activity pages, and more available for download in both English and Spanish.
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If you are interested in participating in CACFP Week, you can register on the event calendar to receive an exclusive sample menu. This year's theme is eating the rainbow, with a sample menu that focuses on a different color of the rainbow for each day of the week.
Team Nutrition Resources
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Contact Us
Program Manager
Program Coordinator (USDA Foods, TEFAP, FFVP)
Program Coordinator (School Meals)
Program Coordinator (CACFP)
Grants Administrator
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Program Specialist (SFSP)
Program Coordinator (Farm-to-School)
Education Program Associate II (Special Milk Program)
Education Program Assistant (USDA Foods, TEFAP)
Education Program Assistant (CACFP, SFSP)
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This newsletter contains hyperlinks to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the reader’s convenience. DEED does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement (English)
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
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mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
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fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
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email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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