Claims - Submit claim data online through the CNP Web Database.

• June Claim Month - Submit to DEED by July 30, 2026. Late submissions will be accepted until August 29, 2026.
• July Claim Month - Submit to DEED by August 30, 2026. Late submissions will be accepted until September 29, 2026.

The final claim will not be accepted if it is not in the Pending Approval status within 60 days of the last day of the claim month. Upward amended claims may be submitted throughout the 60-day period but no later than 60 days.  Be aware, claims in Error status cannot be paid and if help is needed from Child Nutrition the sponsor must contact Child Nutrition well in advance of the 60-Day Deadline.

Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Due to the ongoing Cyclosporiasis outbreak , current federal guidance, including recommendations from CDC, advises washing all raw produce, including produce labeled as pre‑washed.  FDA has also issued retail-level guidance for operators, including School Nutrition Professionals.

Operational Guidance:

• When washing raw produce, including items labeled as pre‑washed, it is important to follow best practices. These include thoroughly washing hands, using clean utensils, and ensuring that all equipment is properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized before and after use. For additional support, refer to the ICN resource on washing fruits and vegetables and general produce safety best practices.
• For produce that can be cooked, heating to at least 158°F is the safest option. Cyclospora is resistant to routine chemical disinfection, and washing alone cannot guarantee removal. The parasite cannot survive at elevated temperatures.
• Monitor recall notices and outbreak updates:
• FDA Recall Alerts
• CDC Current Outbreaks

USDA Nutrition Standards Proposed Rule Moves to OMB for Review

The proposed rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Aligning Program Requirements with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is the final stage before the proposal is released for public comment.

See hearing schedule here.

Expanding Fluid Milk Options in the Child Nutrition Programs

This is not new information, but based on the comments from our annual conference, this is a re-distribution:

This rule expands fluid milk options by allowing operators of the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Milk Program for Children to offer whole and reduced-fat milk to participants two years and older. This rule codifies milkfat requirements following enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 (P.L. 119-69) and supports the statutory requirements for meals to align with the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030. 

 Healthy Kids Collaborative

Alaska has been invited to participate in The Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Kids Collaborative, which is a year-round initiative designed to both accelerate innovation and deepen technical and professional expertise in K-12 school food. They are looking for two participants to join the program; there is no financial obligation, and working groups meet once per month for approximately 1hour.

We encourage any interested school nutrition chefs or directors implementing scratch-cooking in their district to apply here. Please reach out to Sandy Curwood at sandy.curwood@culinary.edu with any questions.

Federal Updates 

💡The Senate Agriculture Committee held a farm bill markup last week to review the Agricultural Act of 2026, its version of the farm bill, which will serve as the basis for negotiations with the House. The bill remains with the committee and did not advance after the markup.

Key provisions in the farm bill include:

• Local food investment: Authorizes $200 million annually for states to purchase food from nearby producers for distribution in communities and schools.

• SNAP state cost-share timeline revised: The bill delays implementation of state SNAP benefit cost-sharing requirements by one year, to FY2029. It does not delay the year states must use their error rate to determine what they owe. Beginning FY2031, states with a payment error rate of 10% or higher will pay a 20% share of benefit costs: the new maximum, up from 15% under current law.

• Whole milk at breakfast: Reaffirms in statute USDA's current regulatory change allowing schools to serve whole milk in the School Breakfast Program.

• Buy American expanded: Requires schools to purchase at least 95% domestic food products by category, up from the current 90% standard, exempting products on a USDA-published "domestically unavailable" list.

• Dietary Guidelines changes: Extends the Dietary Guidelines for Americans cycle from every five years to every ten years.

• Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Reauthorizes the program.

Want more?

Stay up to date with the latest bills related to School Nutrition by subscribing to the "Tuesday Morning" newsletter by SNA! It is very informative and a good read.

I-Bites Podcast

Chef Andrew Urbanetti traded Harvard Law School's dining room for the school cafeterias of Boston — and he's never looked back. In this episode, recorded live at the 10th Farm to Cafeteria Conference, Andrew shares the story behind Boston Public Schools' new Central Kitchen, what it felt like when a student encountered whole-muscle turkey for the first time, and how his team is building trust with families through halal and kosher programs, local sourcing partnerships, and scratch cooking at scale. If you believe school food can be extraordinary, this one's for you.

Listen here!

Team Nutrition

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