Supply Chain Assistance Funds for School Meal Programs

To help school districts deal with the challenges of the supply chain disruptions brought on by the pandemic, USDA has committed an additional $1.5 billion in support for schools nationwide.  These funds will provide $1 billion in financial assistance for school meal programs, $300 million in additional USDA Foods resources, and $200 million for cooperative agreements with States to purchase local food for schools.  Please refer to the fact sheet for detailed information about each of the funding opportunities.  USDA has allocated $300 million in USDA Foods funds and is working with States to collect USDA Foods orders by March 18th after the catalog opened in mid-January.  School districts with questions about the additional USDA Foods resources should contact their State Agency for more information.

USDA Foods for Culturally Inspired Dishes

USDA Foods products are minimally seasoned and processed and can be customized to meet the diverse menu needs of school districts across the country. Beans, rice, cheese, tomatoes, and chicken are just a few examples of products that can serve as base ingredients to create many culturally or regionally inspired dishes. The variety and versatility of USDA Foods products allows schools to develop their menus based on their regional and cultural preferences, while still meeting the required nutrition standards.

Check out just a few of the many USDA Standardized Recipes from the Institute of Child Nutrition’s Child Nutrition Recipe Box that utilize USDA Foods as ingredients in culturally inspired dishes.

*Ingredients listed in the recipe are slightly different than the USDA Foods product, which may alter the nutrition information but should not impact the quantity or quality of the recipe.

For the fresh fruits and vegetables found in these recipes, check out the offerings available for weekly delivery through the USDA DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

What culturally inspired dishes are you cooking up with your USDA Foods?  Feel free to share with us at USDAFoods@usda.gov.

USDA Foods in Schools Catalogs Open for School Year 22-23 Orders

It’s the time of year when State Agencies and school districts work together to place USDA Foods orders for the upcoming school year, with deliveries beginning in July 2022. USDA understands that many school districts may be uncertain about their service model or participation for the upcoming school year and have questions about the USDA Foods order due dates.  USDA works with each industry group to determine how much advance notice they need to produce the food that school districts request. For some foods, such as seasonal fruits and vegetables, orders for the entire year are needed in the spring so the industry has firm order quantities and knows how much product to plant or package for USDA Foods. For other foods, such as meat and cheese, USDA purchases product much closer to the time of delivery (e.g. 60 days in advance), so USDA offers order due dates throughout the year to allow States the flexibility to add, cancel or change orders during the year with sufficient notice to USDA.

It is important to remember that USDA Foods supports domestic growers and processors and these industries need good forecasts to produce enough of the right products to meet the needs of school districts nationwide.  Schools should work with their State Agency to see which foods require firm commitments for the entire school year and which products may have flexibility to order later when you have a better sense of what your menu and participation will look like.  State Agency contacts for USDA Foods in Schools can be found here.        

American Commodity Distribution Association Conference Preview

This year's annual American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA) conference will be April 24th-27th in Orlando, FL. View the full conference schedule here. USDA will be leading a variety of sessions during the conference. Here are a few highlights:

The Wait is Over: Nutrition, Allergen, and Ingredient Information for USDA Foods in Schools at Your Fingertips! - Vendor-specific nutrition, allergen, and ingredient information for direct delivered USDA Foods is now available for States and school districts, providing stakeholders with an opportunity to easily review USDA Foods product information before placing orders. This session will provide information about this new nutrient database and how States and school districts can use it to inform ordering decisions and plan menus.

Understanding the Role of USDA Foods in Child Nutrition Programs From Entitlement to Title Transfer - This session will help stakeholders develop a better understanding of the policies and regulations for managing USDA Foods. It will include an overview of topics such as entitlement calculation, State and school food authority roles and responsibilities, request driven ordering systems, title transfer, single inventory, and warehouse contract and insurance requirements.

Connecting the Dots: Tips on How to Get the Best Value from Processing USDA Foods - This session will provide an overview of actions to take from the posting of SEPDS and the material price file in November to closing out the school year and will highlight the best times to take action to get the most value from USDA Foods further processing.

We look forward to meeting you there! 

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*USDA Foods --> receive all "USDA Foods from Farm to Plate" e-letters

*Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) --> receive "Household Highlights"

*The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) --> receive "Household Highlights"

*Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) --> receive "FDPIR Connection"

*USDA Foods in Schools --> receive "Spotlight on Schools"

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