Minnesota Department of Education Nutrition Program Updates
Week of June 26, 2017
Please choose a program area from the list below to jump to that section.
School Lunch Scramble August
2017
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Food and
Nutrition Service (FNS) is excited to announce registration is open for the two-day August 2017 School Lunch Scramble. The Scramble will be held
August 14-15, 2017, with two ways to participate:
- Attend a session at one of four Minnesota Educational Service Cooperatives. An MDE Child Nutrition Specialist will be available to facilitate training activities and discussion.
- Participate via webinar.
Registration links, a daily session schedule and session
descriptions are available at: School
Lunch Scramble August 2017.
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Vended
Meals Purchased from another School Food Authority
A
new agreement document, SNP
Agreement for Vended Meals Provided by a School Food Authority, is
available for use when an SFA purchases program meals from another SFA.
- No
competitive procurement is needed when meals will be obtained from another SFA.
The two SFAs may work together to negotiate fixed prices and other agreement
details.
- The
new agreement document is shorter than the vended meals contract that is
required when meals are purchased from a commercial vendor.
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Previously Announced School Nutrition Program Updates
USDA Memos: School Meal Flexibility, Paid Lunch Equity, and State Agency Food Inspections Report.
School Meal Flexibilities for School Year 2017-2018 (SP 32-2017).
This USDA memo formally authorized the flexibilities relating to whole grains, sodium, and flavored milk for school year 2017-2018. MDE had previously announced these flexibilities when they were provided earlier by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. For details, read the Meal Pattern Flexibilities in Process in the School Nutrition Programs Updates section below.
Paid Lunch Equity: School Year 2017-2018 Calculations and Revised Tool (SP 11-2017 Revised). This memo describes the corrections made to the 2017-2018 Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Tool. The PLE Tool on the MDE website includes these corrections. Please use the tool if your SFA charges for school lunches and has not yet determined its minimum average lunch price for school year 2017-2018.
State Agency Food Safety Inspections Report for SY 2016-2017 (SP 33-2017).
We will be reporting data to USDA on the number of food safety inspections for each school that participated in School Nutrition Programs during school year 2016-2017. SFAs do not have to report data on food safety inspections to us; we get this information from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
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State Law Affecting Renewal of Food Service Management Contracts
The Minnesota Legislature has passed a law in the 2017 legislative session that revises the state law on school board contracts (Minn. Stat. § 123B.52) effective July 1, 2017. The actual revisions to this statute are shown in Article 6, Nutrition in 2017 Minnesota Session Laws, Chapter 5.
Previous state law on school board contracts limited school districts to up to two one-year contract renewals for all school board contracts. Now school districts that have food service management contracts may have up to four one-year renewals in accordance with program regulations at 7 CFR 210.16, as long as the contract is renewed in compliance with federal regulations, including the annual limitation on increases to fees and costs.
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First Direct Certification File for SY2018
The Direct Certification file match with MARSS data and new DHS/FOSTER data for school year 2017-18 is complete and available in CLiCs 2. An email was sent to the Direct Certification CliCs contact for your district indicating the number of matches made.
Be aware that you may need to wait until after your software system has rolled into the new school year before importing the data. Please consult your software provider for clarification.
Please forward this message to the person responsible for Direct Certification in your district.
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2017-18 Application for Educational Benefits Packet
The school meals application packet for 2017-18 is now available on the School Nutrition Programs website.
The packet may not be distributed before July 1, 2017.
The packet includes:
- Household Letter (one page).
- Instructions to households about how to complete the application (one page, may be printed on the back of the household letter).
As required by program regulations, the household income guidelines in the instructions show only the maximum incomes that qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
- 2017-18 Application for Educational Benefits (two pages, may be printed front to back. Both pages must be distributed.)
In Step 2 (Case Number) on the application, check boxes have been added for the household to indicate whether its case number is from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), or the Food Distribution Program (FDPIR).
Related information for use in approving applications will be posted on the MDE website in June. This will include the complete 2017-18 household income guidelines for SFA use showing the maximum incomes for free meals and the maximum for reduced-price meals, the procedure for approving applications, and the letter to notify the household of approval or denial.
Remember, the 2017-18 Application for Educational Benefits packet may not be distributed before the revised household income guidelines go into effect on July 1, 2017.
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Have you received your USDA Foods credit?
Minnesota Department of Education School Nutrition Programs wants to remind schools using a vended meal provider (caterer) or a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) to audit billing from vendors to be sure you have received credit for the USDA Foods the vendor used in preparation of meals for the school. It is a USDA regulation that the full value of USDA Foods is credited back to the school. The USDA Foods Received Report for the Auditor (available on the MDE website) lists the USDA Foods received for each SFA and the total value for the last three years. This is the amount of credit you should receive. Vendors may provide the credit monthly, quarterly, or annually as outlined in your contract with the vendor. Schools should not be charged any delivery or handling fees for USDA Foods. Work with your accountant, auditor, and vendor to ensure you have received the full credit.
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Meal Pattern Flexibilities in Process
Earlier this month, Sonny Perdue, the newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, announced that the USDA will provide greater flexibility in nutrition requirements for school meal programs in order to make food choices both healthful and appealing to students. The opportunities will pertain to whole grains, sodium, and milk.
Whole Grains: The USDA will allow states to grant exemptions to schools experiencing hardship in serving 100 percent of grain products as whole-grain rich for School Year 2017-2018. If your SFA would like to apply for the whole grain-rich exemption, please complete the exemption form, Exemption – Whole Grain-Rich Menu Items.
Sodium: For school years 2017-2018 through 2020, schools will not be required to meet Sodium Target 2. Instead, schools that meet Sodium Target 1 will be considered compliant. The USDA is starting the necessary regulatory actions to implement the change. The USDA will dedicate significant resources to providing technical assistance to schools as they continue to develop menus that are low in sodium and appealing to students.
Milk: The USDA will allow schools to have more options for students who select milk as part of their lunch or breakfast. The Minnesota Department of Education is developing a milk waiver form to allow schools to serve one percent flavored milk through the school meals programs. The waiver will be available in the next few weeks. This does not apply to CACFP.
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Meal Charge Policy Required by July 1, 2017; Prototype Template Available
The USDA and MDE recognize that unpaid meal charges represent a difficult and complex issue directly impacting the schools participating in our programs. According to a survey taken in 2010, 58 percent of Local Education Authorities (LEAS) had unpaid meal costs. Beginning July 1, 2017, all School Food Authorities (SFAs) operating a national school lunch or breakfast program must develop a meal charge policy or procedure. It is not required that the local school board approve the policy, however it would be a best practice.
We have developed a template policy that is available on the FNS website for SFAs to begin to use or update current policies: Unpaid Meal Charge and Debt Collection Procedure. In addition, other resources are available on the MDE website: download meal charge policy resources. The Meal Charge Policy will be reviewed at the time of an Administrative Review.
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Additional Training Opportunities for Implementing the New Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Meal Patterns
New CACFP Adult Meal Pattern Webinar
Everything
you need to know about the updated Adult Meal Pattern will be discussed in a
webinar on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Key topics of
this webinar are labeling for yogurt and breakfast cereals, new meal pattern
implementation choices and menu planning flexibilities. Register
for the webinar and then invite production and meal service staff to view
the webinar with you. Following the webinar, you may want to identify an
implementation date for the new meal pattern before October 1st.
Then complete a short survey Request for Full Early Implementation of Updated CACFP
Meal Patterns (estimated five-minute length) to obtain written
approval for early implementation. Many new
CACFP Meal Pattern Resources are available on the MDE website and will help
you be successful in new meal pattern implementation.
New CACFP Meal Pattern
Workshop in Fargo/Moorhead
The CACFP Training Team is
pleased to announce a New Meal Pattern workshop on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, from
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Best Western Plus Kelly Inn and Suites in the Fargo/Moorhead area.
The details of the new meal
patterns is covered in this workshop with many hands-on activities. A variety
of resources are described and the new USDA meal pattern training tools will be
presented. All attendees who have accounts through the Minnesota
Professional Development Registry (Develop) will receive four credit
hours for attending this workshop. Register
for the workshop.
More
Training Opportunities
As
new training opportunities for the new meal pattern become available, whether
workshops, webinars or web-based video trainings, they will be added to the
list of CACFP
New Meal Pattern Training Opportunities on the Training page and the MDE
Calendar. Check-out the list of training today and register for one of
the remaining workshops in Shoreview, New Ulm,
Fargo/Moorhead, Bemidji and Duluth.
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Previously Announced Summer Food Service Program Updates
School Meals Don't Have to Stop Just Because It's Summer!
NEW! Hunger Impact Partners, a local nonprofit has developed a new Summer Eats Minnesota mobile app that will tell kids where and when they can get free summer meals. The app is free and available in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Powered by GPS, it shows locations of Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) open sites that have been approved by the Minnesota Department of Education.
SFSP Sponsors: The Summer Eats Minnesota app currently features sites in Minneapolis and Saint Paul and will include ALL open sites in Minnesota by mid-June. You can help Hunger Impact Partners reach more kids by providing additional information to promote and locate your sites.
Suggested submissions include:
A site photo or other relevant photo in jpeg or png format, if available. Examples: photos of parks, buildings, food trucks, and meal settings.
- A copy of the site menu, including dates the menu will be featured, or menu cycle dates.
- A site phone number, if available (landline or mobile).
Submit questions and additional information suggested to hlin@hungerimpactpartners.org (include your sponsor name, identification number, site name, and site ID number). Allow a few days for the Summer Eats Minnesota app to update your site information.
Hunger Impact Partners hopes all sponsors take advantage of this opportunity to reach more kids this summer.
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2017 Summer Food Service Program Health Inspection Funds Now Available
The USDA provides funds for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) to cover the cost of the second health inspection conducted at school SFSP sites under approved SFSP sponsors. Funds DO NOT cover the cost of licenses or certification training.
All SFSP school sponsors are eligible for these funds. Complete the Reimbursement for Health Inspection Funds form and attach required documentation. Requests may be submitted now and payments will be made within 30 days. The deadline for submitting a request is September 1, 2017.
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Summer Food Service Program Operational Dates
This is a reminder that the SFSP can only operate after the end of the school year, until the beginning of the following school year. Please check the local school district calendar so that meals are not served when school is in session. Exceptions include year-round and migrant sites.
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Schoolyard Gardens 101
Build gardening skills. Get Minnesota standards
curricula. Plan an educational garden.
Join us for 2 days of education to help you start and
maintain a school garden! Taught by Extension Master Gardener Volunteers,
this class is for groups of school teachers and staff who will tie garden
learning to the classroom and possibly food to the cafeteria. Topics
include: soil, composting, planting seeds and more- plus time to plan
YOUR garden! This is a great course for every gardener-to-be, all grade
levels, and existing or new school gardens. Gain continuing education
hours while you connect to other schools and build your skill set for a
fantastic garden.
Dates: August 2 & 3, 2017
Place: Plant Growth Facility West, 1538 Gortner
Avenue, St.Paul, 55108
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $25/person
To register: https://hennepinmastergardeners.org/events/school-gardens-101/
Questions? Contact Terry at 612-596-2103 or hcmg@umn.edu.
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Farm to Early Care Webinar Series – June 27 and July 18
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) is hosting a three-part Farm to Early Care webinar series, designed to empower anyone working in an early care and education setting to purchase fresh locally grown foods, incorporate food- and farming-themed lessons into the classroom, and engage parents and caregivers in Farm to Early Care activities. Farm to Early Care programs are good for kids, good for farmers and good for communities. Join us on the first three Tuesdays in June to learn more! More information and registration is available on the IATP website.
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