News & Notes

Business Management Improvement: The Future of USDA Foods

From 2015-2017, USDA and key stakeholders are reviewing the USDA Foods program's end-to-end processes – from ordering to delivery to inventory management – with the goal of increasing efficiency and improving the program for all stakeholders. This exciting initiative is now moving on to its next phase! The Business Management Improvement (BMI) project will soon begin developing a Business Case for the changes identified during the “To Be” phase, with an Implementation Plan to follow in early 2017.

The “To Be” phase has focused on the future of USDA Foods. BMI stakeholders collaborated in a series of workshops in June and July to design improved business processes and to identify related policy, procedures, regulations, and organizational structures. Proposed changes considered the pain points, system gaps, industry references, and benchmarks identified in the “As Is” phase.

BMI collaborators met August 16-18 in an Accelerated Solutions Environment (ASE) workshop to discuss the “Big Ideas” generated from the workshops and validate vision outcomes. On September 23, USDA held a follow-up meeting with Recipient Agencies to discuss the “To Be” outcomes from the ASE workshop. Additional briefings will be provided to USDA stakeholders and staff over the next few months.

The BMI is a significant milestone in the evolution of the USDA Foods program providing stakeholders with an opportunity to provide their input to process improvements. For related news and additional information, visit the BMI webpage. Any questions or comments about the BMI may be directed to CP-BPRINFO@ams.usda.gov.

North Carolina Visits USDA Headquarters for Training and Taste Testing

Seven staffers of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Food Distribution Division took an opportunity to meet with USDA staff in Arlington, Virginia, on September 13-14, 2016.

We received great presentations followed with questions and discussions. It was nice to have the Branch Chiefs report on their respective sections and the specialists speak to their responsibilities. This proved to be timed perfectly as we had with us several new staffers, which offered a terrific opportunity for them as well as some of the “more seasoned” staff to sit around the table and talk and ask questions on any topic of all of the USDA Foods Programs.

On the second day, we traveled to the USDA South Building in Washington, DC, for meetings. Here they provided us the wonderful opportunity to see and taste many of the new products for this school year, and some products under consideration for next school year. It is amazing the amount of consideration that is given to new products and to see what an involved process it is to bring a new product on board to offer to schools.

This was a very informative trip, the only thing missing was the red carpet as USDA made us all feel very welcome. The time was well spent, it was very informative and the information gleaned will be passed along in our trainings to local agencies in our State.

Thanks to all the USDA staff for taking the time for our meetings, and the taste testing was terrific!

Gary Gay, Director

NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division

Spirit Lake Youth Nutrition Camps Bring Valuable Lessons to Kids

The Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe of Fort Totten, North Dakota, hosted 41 boys and girls ages 8-18 in an interactive, informative, and (most importantly) fun Nutrition Youth Camp in July. The two-day camp was a cooperative effort between Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe and United Tribes Technical College funded by the Food Distribution Program Nutrition Education grant.

The activity-filled days included food safety, nutrition, and living green lesson themes. One unique activity connected food with tradition by matching photos of food with the English name and its Lakota name. Kids grabbed a photo, said each name while matching it to the MyPlate food group the food item belonged to – all while running to different colored hula hoops which represented those different MyPlate food groups. Another meaningful activity included a Pledge to Mother Earth. A Tribal elder shared with the kids stories about foods she ate in connection with her culture and compared those to unhealthy foods many kids eat today. She helped the kids make a link between their lifestyles and Mother Earth. The kids used her stories as inspiration to make their own Pledge to Mother Earth. They wrote down their own pledges and displayed them in the lobby of Spirit Lake’s Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) service center. Committing to planting a garden and using a refillable water bottle are examples of the inspired pledges the kids made. FDPIR Director Mary Greene Trottier said this activity was one of the most popular and she still enjoys reading the pledges as she walks by the display in her building. Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe’s 2016 Youth Nutrition Camp is an example of the impact an FDPIR program can have on its community. It was so successful they are offering a second camp in December while kids are on winter break.

How Much Do You Know About FDPIR?  Are You Interested in Finding Out More? Do you have an interest in learning about the characteristics of FDPIR participants? Would you like to learn about differences in warehouse operation and distribution models? Or the role nutrition and health education plays at local sites on Indian reservations? Are you curious about the foods offered in the food package? If any of these areas interest you, then check out the recently published Study of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. This national characteristic study captures the most current program and participant information about FDPIR such as: Nearly half of all households served by FDPIR are a one-person household. Twenty-nine percent of households participating in FDPIR have elderly members only. Over 90% of survey respondents are satisfied with the variety of food, the freshness, the quality, the nutritional value, and the taste and visual appeal. An estimated 52% of research respondents that participated in a nutrition education activity indicated they made changes to their cooking or eating. And more!

Celebrating National School Lunch Week

In 1962 President John F. Kennedy created National School Lunch Week, a weeklong event celebrating the school lunch program. Many districts decorate their cafeterias and have fun events planned. This year’s celebration was October 10-14 and the theme was “Show Your Spirit.” The goal is to increase student participation while teaching them the benefits of consuming wholesome school lunches, to spread the message regarding the benefits of the school lunch to parents, and to connect with teachers and administrators. There is always time to celebrate the National School Lunch Program even if you missed this event. Plan your own activity that fits with your district’s schedule!

USDA offers a variety of resources and ideas for championing school lunch. Check out these posts on the USDA blog from National School Lunch Week 2016!

• Celebrating Progress: National School Lunch Week 2016
• Make a Cafeteria Date to Eat a Healthy Lunch with Your Child at School 
• Team Up and Show Your Spirit for School Meals

Blurbs from Blogs

New USDA ‘FoodKeeper’ App: Your New Tool for Smart Food Storage By: Christopher Bernstein, Food Safety Education Staff, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA How many times have you gone into your pantry or refrigerator, only to find that what you were going to use in your meal was spoiled? The USDA, Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute would like to help you avoid that problem in the future with our new application, the FoodKeeper. Every year, billions of pounds of good food go to waste in the U.S. because home cooks are not sure of the quality or safety of items. USDA estimates that 21% of the available food in the U.S. goes uneaten at the consumer level. In total, 36 pounds of food per person is wasted each month at the retail and consumer levels! Read more

Resource Roundup

New Food Distribution Webinars and Training Page Are you interested in viewing webinars you missed, or brushing up on key topics related to your USDA Foods program? The new Food Distribution Webinars and Training page contains a variety of useful resources - YouTube videos, online courses, and power point presentations - organized into these categories: USDA Foods Basics (All Programs) Child Nutrition Programs (NSLP, CACFP) USDA Foods Processing (NSLP) Institute of Child Nutrition Online Training Household Programs (FDPIR, CSFP, TEFAP) Web Based Supply Chain Management As you can see, there's something for everyone! Check out these new resources today.

New Infographic: Food Safety in Schools

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Office of Food Safety website provides food safety education and training resources for Child Nutrition Program operators, including school nutrition professionals. Schools are doing a great job of ensuring kids receive safe meals. When foodborne outbreaks do occur in schools, illnesses are most often associated with norovirus. This infographic highlights three key practices that can help prevent norovirus in schools.

Out & About

Hunger in America Exhibit

In September, Feeding America presented “Hunger in America: a Congressional Exhibition” at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC. USDA and congressional staff were invited to view the exhibition, which portrayed the voices and faces of those impacted by hunger. Statistics on food security and portraits of food assistance recipients from all 50 states were presented. Many recipients noted the importance of USDA’s food assistance in their daily lives. For example, one of the individuals photographed noted that without the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), he would have to choose between buying food and paying for medication. A family from Alaska turned to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) when obtaining food became difficult, partly due to walrus no longer being available in sufficient quantities to feed their community. 

A MyPlate Food Pantry in Colorado

The Action Center in Lakewood, Colorado, distributes food through both The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and its emphasis on nutrition and self-sufficiency has inspired creative partnerships to better serve those in need. In September, USDA National Office and Regional Office staff, along with the Colorado Department of Human Services, had the opportunity to visit The Action Center’s new facilities, which opened in April 2015, and see first-hand how USDA Foods support this organization’s mission.

MyPlate is now the basis for the grocery checklist that guides clients through a self-service shopping area organized and color-coded to match the MyPlate food groups of protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, and grains. TEFAP-eligible clients receive a box of USDA Foods and then select from other donated foods to end up with five days’ worth of food. When bonus items are offered through TEFAP – pinto beans, raisins, and walnuts were available during USDA’s tour – eligible clients may take home as many portions as they can use. In years past, the mix of food that clients received was about 70 percent canned goods and 30 percent fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy, but The Action Center decided to reverse these proportions to offer more fresh options in support of MyPlate. A partnership with Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Sprouts Farmers Market grocery stores, through a coop with two other local feeding organizations, allows The Action Center to receive 100,000-150,000 pounds of food, including a bounty of fresh produce, each month. In living out its motto, “pathways to self-sufficiency,” The Action Center connects clients to other social services and runs an extensive volunteer program. An average of 80 volunteers daily assist with client intake and serve as case managers, client advocates, and personal grocery shoppers for the average of 110 people who pass through The Action Center’s doors each day. In addition to food, the organization seeks to meet basic needs of clothing and household goods ranging from silverware to sheets, the latter often donated by a nearby hotel. The Action Center is a truly multi-faceted organization serving its community.

Complaint Resolution Pipeline: Count Your Cases!

State Distributing Agencies (SDAs), Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), and Recipient Agencies (RAs) must follow general standards and procedures in receiving shipments of USDA Foods, including USDA Foods received at each delivery location in a split shipment. The SDA/ITO/RA is responsible for ensuring that each truckload of USDA Foods received is inspected prior to being unloaded and as it is being unloaded to determine the overall condition of the USDA Foods and the number of units in the shipment, and to ensure accuracy of receipt. This helps to avoid problems later. At the time of delivery and before the truck leaves, check the following: Verify that temperatures for refrigerated and frozen products are appropriate to assure that the foods are in good condition. Confirm that the quantity of the product received matches the quantity on the bill of lading (BOL). A more careful count must be conducted as the shipment is unloaded and prior to the vendor departing. Indicate any shortages or overages in the shipment on the BOL. Examine the quality of the product; inspect for damage or infestation. Check the condition of the packaging and containers. Confirm that security seal is intact and that seal number matches number on the BOL. Document any issues on the BOL, prior to signature, and take photos. Training staff on how to properly receive USDA Foods is important. Also, ensure that sufficient time is taken to walk around pallets, count cases, open cases, and, if needed, open internal packaging to check product. Take action immediately if product does not meet specifications. Vendors have a contractual obligation to deliver food in a safe and acceptable manner. To file a complaint, visit USDA Foods Feedback.  Instruction for receiving shipments of USDA Foods: USDA FNS Instruction 709-5, Rev 2, Shipment and Receipt of USDA Foods The Complaint Team is available Monday-Friday, 6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Email USDAFoodsComplaints@fns.usda.gov or call the USDA Foods Complaint Hotline at 800-446-6991.

Technology Synopsis

Self-Service Tools for eAuthentication

The service desk teams for WBSCM (Web-Based Supply Chain Management) and FFAVORS (Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Order Receipt System) cannot recover or update user login credentials. These are maintained in a separate system called eAuthentication. To recover forgotten information, self-service tools are available from the login screen via the I forgot my User ID | Password links.

To recover forgotten User ID(s), click on User ID. After entering your information, you will receive a system-generated message listing any User ID(s) linked to this email.

To reset your Password, click on Password. You will be prompted to enter your User ID and answer the security questions you previously set up for your eAuthentication profile. After confirming your identity, you will be prompted to enter a new password. This action will also unlock your eAuthentication account if you had entered the wrong password too many times. Note: The Change my Password link can be used to update your account only if you know your current password.

For your convenience, a shortcut to the password reset tool is also provided on the webpages for WBSCM and FFAVORS:

To review and maintain your eAuthentication customer profile, select Update your account from the Quick Links. Then, select Home to expand the Tasks section. You can update your contact information, security questions, and/or password from this menu. It is not possible to edit your login ID or name via self-service.

If you are unable to use these self-service tools or need further assistance with recovering or updating your eAuthentication account information, please contact the eAuthentication Service Desk at 1-800-457-3642, option 1.

WBSCM News and Resources

WBSCM instructions, guidance, and general information are available to help users work proficiently. These materials are regularly updated to correspond to best practices, application enhancements, and system requirements.

FNS Website: The WBSCM Information webpage provides supplemental information for domestic customers and FNS support staff. Questions about user access and common issues are addressed in WBSCM FAQs & Tips. Technical resources are available for system requirements and settings and data upload/download. Recent news, reminders, and recommended solutions to common problems are shared in a quarterly newsletter.

Forum: When logged in, users can view one or more forum(s), depending on their role. These are used to announce new software releases, system outages, upcoming deadlines, and other news. Within WBSCM, navigate to Home -> News and Alerts. To receive email notifications when new items are posted, users can “watch” a forum, thread, or user.

Training Materials: The WBSCM document library contains the following resources:

• Course Materials – overview by user roles or business functions
• Job Aids – supplemental information and quick references
• Work Instructions – step-by-step description of common transactions
• Release Notes – summary of maintenance and enhancement development activities

To browse available materials, navigate to Help tab -> Training when logged in. Users may also locate items by keyword search tool (available once a role and/or business function has been selected) or by context-sensitive help (available from most transaction screens by clicking on the Options icon and then selecting Help from the menu).

WBSCM Annual User Validation Reminder

At the end of August, USDA issued an email reminder to all WBSCM users regarding the annual validation requirement. This process ensures that only active user profiles are retained in the system. Per USDA policy, inactive user profiles are locked after nine months and deleted after twelve months.

All Users: If you have not accessed the system within the previous nine months (or are unsure of the date of your last login) and want to remain active, please login to the WBSCM Production Portal immediately to avoid deletion. If needed, self-service tools are available to recover your User ID or Password from the eAuthentication system.

User Administrators: Confirm that users in your organization(s) are active and have been assigned the appropriate roles and update the user profile as appropriate. (Work Instruction is available at Help tab -> Training Materials -> Work instructions -> External -> Fulfillment (WI-Ext) -> Domestic -> Display and Maintain User.) To assist you with these tasks, the User Security Report has been enhanced; this report now provides an option to run a consolidated report of users from the parent organization (e.g., SDA) and sub organizations (e.g., RAs or Co-Ops). When performing annual user validation, it may also be helpful to use the Last Activity Date selection criteria to identify inactive users that need to be locked or deleted. (Job Aid is available at Help tab -> Training Materials -> Job Aids -> Reports (JA) -> User Security Report.)

On the Horizon

USDA staff will be participating in these upcoming meetings in 2016 and 2017. We look forward to the opportunity to meet you and hope to see you there!

October 31-November 3: 2016 USDA/State Agency Meeting for Child Nutrition Programs in Arlington, Virginia

November 9-10: School Nutrition Association (SNA) Fall Industry Boot Camp in National Harbor, Maryland

December 6-8: School Food Focus National Gathering in Braselton, Georgia

January 22-24: SNA School Nutrition Industry Conference in Orlando, Florida

March 5-7: Food Research and Action Center and Feeding America National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference in Washington, DC

March 12-14: National Commodity Supplemental Food Program Association (NCSFPA) Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana

April 2-4: SNA Legislative Action Conference in Washington, DC

April 23-26: American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA) Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado

June 12-16: National Association of Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations (NAFDPIR) Conference in St. Louis, Missouri

July 9-12: SNA Annual National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia

How to Sign Up for the USDA Foods E-Letter

Here's how to sign up for these updates via GovDelivery: 1. Go to the Food Distribution website. 2. Click on the red envelope on the row of social media icons on the top right of the page. 3. Enter your email address and click "Submit." 4. Check the boxes to select your topics of interest. For these e-letters, scroll down to the Food Distribution category and click the plus sign to the left of the check box to expand the list and view all the sub-categories. Check these sub-categories to receive the corresponding e-letters: *USDA Foods --> receive all "USDA Foods from Farm to Plate" general + program-specific e-letters *Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) --> receive "Household Highlights" e-letter *The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) --> receive "Household Highlights" e-letter *Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) --> receive "FDPIR Connection" e-letter *Schools/Child Nutrition Commodity Programs --> receive "Spotlight on Schools" e-letter 5. Update your subscription preferences any time by following the above steps or clicking on the Subscriber Preferences Page link at the bottom of any of the e-letter email messages you receive from GovDelivery. Questions? Contact us at USDAFoods@fns.usda.gov

Learn more at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/food-distribution-programs or contact us at USDAFoods@fns.usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).