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Check out the CACFP Memo Page for a list of all memos and announcements.
On April 24, 2024, USDA's Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) released the public inspection copy of the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This was published on the Federal Register on April 25, 2024.
As a reminder, these are the operational and technical flexibilities that will be effective in CACFP on July 1, 2024:
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Tribal Communities who serve primarily American Indian participants will be allowed to substitute vegetables for the grain component.
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Nut and Seeds can now credit for the full Meat/Meat Alternate component instead of the 50% crediting limit at breakfast, lunch, and supper.
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Geographic Preference in Procurement now expands geographic preference in procurement specifications to allow "locally grown", "locally raised" or "locally caught".
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Vitamin A and D unit of measurements for fluid milk has been changed from IUs (international units) to mcg (micrograms). This is a measurement conversion to align with current nutrition fact label standards.
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Definition of whole grain-rich has been updated in the regulations to "the grain content of a product is between 50 and 100 percent whole grain with any remaining grains being enriched." This does not change the way whole grain-rich is determined in the Child Nutrition Programs.
ODE CNP is currently working on updating meal pattern resources and will provide information on any resource revisions in future newsletters.
On May 14, 2024, USDA's Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) released an implementation memo, Initial Implementation Memorandum: Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This memo included two attachments, Attachment A included an Overview of the Final Rule Provisions, and Attachment B included Table of Changes by Program.
In addition to information on changes that will be effective July 1, 2024 (see article above), the attachments indicate that there are two changes effective October 1, 2025 that may be implemented earlier with State Agency approval. This include changes to the breakfast cereal and yogurt added sugar limit requirements.
ODE CNP is providing blanket approval for all Oregon sponsors to opt in to the new added sugar limits effective immediately. Sponsors do not need to notify ODE CNP and can opt to use either the current or new sugar limits for both breakfast cereal and yogurt.
Below is a comparison chart of the current versus the new sugar limit thresholds:
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Food Item
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Current Total Sugar Limit
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New Added Sugar Limit
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Breakfast Cereals
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Breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of total sugars per dry ounce.
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Breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of added sugars per dry ounce
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Yogurt
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Yogurt must contain no more than 23 grams of total sugars per 6 ounces.
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Yogurt must contain no more than 12 grams of added sugars per 6 ounces (2 grams of added sugars per ounce
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New Sugar Limit Wallet Cards for Breakfast Cereals and Yogurts for added sugars are now available and posted on the ODE CNP CACFP Meal Pattern Page.
Please note that ODE CNP reviewed a sample of breakfast cereals and yogurts on the market and found that the new added sugar limits did not have an impact on the creditability of any of the breakfast cereals reviewed, but it did restrict the number of creditable yogurts. This means that there are some yogurts on the market at this time which are creditable under the current total sugar limit, but will not be creditable under the new added sugar limit unless manufacturers change the formulation of the product.
If you have questions about the final rule, reach out to your assigned Child Nutrition Specialist.
On May 28, 2024, USDA released Memo CACFP 09-2024: Implementation Guidance: State Agency Financial Review Requirements. In this memo, USDA clarified the expectations for State Agencies and to whom the regulation at 7 CFR 226.7(b)(1) applies.
The memo states that:
- 7 CFR 226.7(b)(1)(i) and (ii), which relates to State Agency annual reviews of 1 month of bank account activity and expenditure and fund documentation, do not apply to single-site sponsors and school food authorities (SFAs).
- 7 CFR 226.7(b)(1)(iii), which relates to State Agency monitoring of sponsor nonprofit status, does not apply to school food authorities (SFAs) operating the CACFP and National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
ODE CNP wants to thank all sponsors and sponsor staff who have provided comments and feedback on these requirements over the last three months.
This is a repeat article.
A year goes by quick when you are having fun! CACFP Renewals for Fiscal Year 2025 will start on August 1, 2024 and applications will close on August 16, 2024. The operating Fiscal Year for CACFP is October through September and Fiscal Year 2025 will start on October 1, 2024 and end on September 30, 2025.
Food Program Coordinators and Authorized Representatives listed in CNPweb will receive the CACFP Renewal Memo in their inboxes in late July 2024.
To get ready for CACFP Renewals, we encourage you take the following steps:
- Notify your assigned Child Nutrition Specialist if there are any changes to the Authorized Representative or Food Program Coordinator roles and update your Sponsor Info Sheet in CNPweb for Fiscal Year 2024.
- The Food Program Coordinator must complete all required CACFP Annual Trainings (see CACFP Annual Training Memo from March 29, 2024) if it has not been completed already - if you are not sure of your current status, check with your assigned Child Nutrition Specialist
- Talk with your administration and team and work together to collect the information you need for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 operating period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. Information needed will include: Sites that will be operating and the meal service times and dates, months of operation, lead site staff, your operation's CACFP management plan, and more.
- If you are a CACFP sponsor on a school year calendar with site(s) operating in September 2024, check your CNPweb FY 2024 applications to ensure that your Site Info Sheet is up to date.
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All non-school food authority sponsors will require a budget this year, even single site sponsors!
- Work with your finance staff to review your FY 2024 budget and update it for FY 2025. If you did not have a FY 2024 budget, ask your Child Nutrition Specialist to send you the last budget on file with ODE CNP.
Family Style Meal Service Resources
Looking for resources on Family Style Meal Service?
USDA's Team Nutrition has a Trainer's Circle recording available on Family Style Meal Service with Children in the CACFP. This training video shows tips for preparing and supporting children, training staff, and meeting CACFP meal pattern requirements to successfully serve meals "family style." The Nebraska Department of Education also shared how they developed and utilized tools to train child care providers on family style meal service.
USDA also has a Family Style Meal Service with Children in the CACFP page. This page includes training materials, social media graphics, and classroom posters.
CICN Webinar: Demystify the FBG - A Crash Course for Using the Food Buying Guide
Join the Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition (CICN) for an insightful webinar on mastering the USDA's Food Buying Guide (FBG) for Child Nutrition Programs.
Discover how to navigate and make the most of this essential resource, which is pivotal in planning nutritious, compliant, and cost-effective meals in Child Nutrition Programs. Learn step-by-step how to access the FBG, create an account, and utilize its numerous tools and resources, including in-house yield data. This training will delve into the meal components, discuss the significance of each column in the FBG yield tables, and demonstrate how to select the correct food items using specific recipes. This session is designed to enhance your understanding and efficiency in using the FBG to its fullest potential.
The webinar is from 12 - 1 PM PST on June 6, 2024 - Register Here.
 Meghan Tschida, Community Team Manager
Deanna (DeDe) Poynor, Child Nutrition Specialist, Team Lead
Cathy Brock, Child Nutrition Specialist, Summer Food Service Program Outreach Coordinator
Sarah English, Child Nutrition Specialist
Eliza Kondo, Child Nutrition Specialist
Darcy Miller, Child Nutrition Specialist
Kaitlin Skreen, Child Nutrition Specialist
Shannon Smith, Child Nutrition Specialist
Shirley Wu, Child Nutrition Specialist, Technical Assistance Coordinator
Teresa Murray, Fiscal & Audit Analyst
Emma Ahern, Program Analyst 1
Ashlie Berry, Program Analyst 1
Community Nutrition E-mail box
Visit us on the web ODE CACFP
Upcoming CACFP Newsletters will be distributed around the first week of each month.
Subscribe to this newsletter: CACFP Newsletter Subscription
For previous ODE CNP CACFP newsletters, check out the ODE CNP CACFP Memo page.
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 USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.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 Complaint form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
- fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
- email:
program.intake@usda.gov
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