Verification Summary Report (VSR) Now Available
All sponsors must complete the VSR, even if they are not required to conduct verification. The October claim for reimbursement must be completed before the report will open. Sponsors can find instructions for the report based on operating type on the verification webpage under the VSR drop down menu. Sponsors who prefer live training can attend the VSR training session Thursday, December 7, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET. Register here.
Recall Notice
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a notice to advise parents and caregivers not to buy or feed certain cinnamon apple puree and applesauce products to toddlers or young children because the products may contain elevated levels of lead. The company also initiated a voluntary recall of these products. These products are sold nationally and are available through multiple retailers, including Sam’s Club, Amazon, and Dollar Tree. Consumers should stop using the product and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Please remove recalled items from circulation if they are in your food inventory. Consumers can email questions directly to the company.
Verification Process Ends Today
Sponsors who conducted traditional verification must send the final letters of notification by November 15 each year. Once completed, sponsors must report the results of the verification process on the VSR which is due January 15 annually.
Training Needs Survey
IDOE wants to provide the training that you seek! Please take a moment to complete the training needs survey to tell us what training you would like to see from our office. This survey will take about 10 minutes to complete and will help IDOE plan future training programs.
National School Lunch Week Scrapbook
Thanks to those who sent in images of their local National School Lunch Week celebrations. View pictures from around the state here.
Farm to School Office Hours
Starting this month, IDOE will host Farm to School Office Hours each month! Brianna Goode, Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) Farm to School Coordinator, and Sophie Lindley, IDOE Farm to School Coordinator will answer any questions you have about getting started, share specific details for existing programs, and offer support for expanding initiatives. Office hours are on the third Wednesday of the month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET. Click here to join.
Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program
It’s time to submit your school’s DoD Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program allocation request for school year (SY) 2024-2025. Schools must complete the form that applies to your School Food Authority. The deadline for submission is Friday, December 15, at 5 p.m. ET. DoD allocations are deducted from your school’s USDA Foods entitlement before the annual pre-order survey opens.The implementation of the new FDP 2.0 software may change the way allocations are entered into the system.
Click here if your school is on the DoD program for SY 2023-2024.
Click here if your school is not on the DoD program for SY 2023-2024.
For more information on the DoD Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program, please visit the IDOE DoD Fresh Website or view IDOE’s 3-part DoD series in Moodle. Contact Cheryl Moore with questions.
Holiday USDA Foods Orders
Please remember that it is mandatory to have school staff available to inspect, verify and accept all USDA Foods orders that are placed. This is especially important for orders placed during school breaks and holidays. State-assigned warehouses Dilgard Frozen Foods, McFarling Foods, Stanz Foodservice and Wabash Foods are contracted to deliver Direct Delivered (Brown Box) USDA Foods to schools between the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. local school time.
Introducing FDP 2.0
What is it? FDP 2.0 is a new program that will replace the Food Distribution Program (FDP) software in CNPweb.
Who will use it? Schools, warehouses and IDOE will use for school year 2024-2025.
When? We will rollout the first phase of FDP 2.0 in December 2023 for school sponsors to complete the Annual Pre-order (Forecast) Survey in early 2024.
Why? The current FDP system will be retired for a more user friendly and updated system.
There will be more information forthcoming on access, logins, training and rollout phases in future newsletters.
Round 4 Supply Chain Assistance (SCA) Attestation Statements are due by Friday, November 17
Round four SCA funds are now available for all sponsors in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or School Breakfast Program (SBP). SCA funds may only be used to purchase food for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Programs, including the Seamless Summer Option. Sponsors may not use SCA funds to purchase food items for other child nutrition programs such as the Special Milk Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program or the Summer Food Service Program. Additionally, SCA funds should be separate from any other grants or funding stream (i.e. the local foods purchasing program). Schools that previously declined funds in round one, two, or three are eligible to receive funds. Funds may be used for the purchase of unprocessed and minimally processed domestic food, such as fresh fruit, milk, cheese, frozen vegetables, and ground meat. Please note, SCA funds cannot be used to pay for labor, supplies, or administrative expenses. Funds will be allocated to sponsors based on student enrollment after a minimum, set amount of $5,000 per sponsor is allocated.
Next Steps:
- Complete the SCA Attestation for round four, either by accepting or refusing the SCA funds no later than Friday, November 17, at 5 p.m. ET.
- Sponsors that do not submit an attestation statement will be considered as refusing the additional funds.
- Distribution to sponsors that accept round four funds will occur no later than February 27, 2024.
- Any remaining funds will be calculated, and notification will be sent to sponsors interested in reallocation funds after the initial distribution.
Additional information is available via the documents linked below.
If you have any questions, please email: scnfinance@doe.in.gov. Please include your sponsor number and SCA Funds in the subject line.
Upcoming Dates |
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Wednesday, November 15
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Verification due date: all final notification letters should be sent to verified households.
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Wednesday, November 15, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET
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Farm to School Office Hours
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Friday, November 17
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SCA Round 4 Attestation Statement due
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Monday, November 27
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PLANTS Grant Application opens
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Wednesday, November 29
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September Claim Due Date
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Thursday, December 7, 2 to 3 p.m. ET
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VSR Training
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Friday, December 15, at 5 p.m. ET
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SY 2024-2025 DoD Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program allocation request due
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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