Updates to the TEFAP & CSFP Foods Available Lists

The TEFAP and CSFP Foods Available Lists (FAL) were updated in August 2024 to reflect changes for FY2025. The TEFAP Foods Available List includes a variety of new foods, as well as a few updates to existing items. The CSFP Foods Available List was updated to reflect current dates, but there were no other significant changes. The following changes reflect the new foods and updates to the TEFAP Foods Available List:

New Foods

• Protein Foods
  • 110903 – Turkey, Deli Breast, Sliced, Frozen – 20/2 lb package
  • 111800 – Catfish, Fillets, Wild-Caught, Frozen – 20/2 lb bag
    • This product is not halal-certified but may be acceptable to halal-observant communities without a certification. Please ensure states and local agencies are made aware that this product may be acceptable without a certification and encourage them to work with local leaders in their community to determine acceptability to halal-observant program recipients prior to ordering.

• Dairy
  • 110841 – Cheese, Cheddar, Yellow, Chunks, Refrigerated – 12/1 lb package
  • 111750 – Yogurt, High-Protein, Vanilla, Chilled (K) – 6/32 oz tub
  • 110400 – Yogurt, High-Protein, Blueberry, Chilled (K) – 24/4 oz cup
  • 110401 – Yogurt, High-Protein, Strawberry, Chilled (K) – 24/4 oz cup
  • 110402 – Yogurt, High-Protein, Vanilla, Chilled (K) – 24/4 oz cup
    • All four yogurt materials are available in less than truckload quantities. Minimum order per delivery location is 300 cases for material 111750, and 420 cases for materials 110400, 110401, and 110402.
    • All four yogurt materials are required to have a commercial kosher certification and are identified on the FAL with a (K) next to the material description.
• Grains
  • No Code – Cereal, Ready-to-Eat – 10 – 20 oz package
    • Ready-to-eat cereal varieties will be determined based on availability. Check WBSCM for the latest material codes.

Check out USDA Foods Product Information Sheets to learn more about these new foods today!

Changed Items

• 110561 – Apples, Fresh – 12/3 lb bag
  • Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious will be added to the specification as allowable varieties.

• 110623 – Blueberries, Highbush, Unsweetened, Frozen – 12/2.5 lb bag
  • The product description has been updated to clarify that the product is unsweetened. The product remains the same as what has been previously supplied.

• 110390 – Catfish, Fillets, Farm-Raised, Frozen – 20/2 lb bag
  • The product description has been updated to clarify that the product is farm-raised. The product remains the same as what has previously been supplied.
  • This product is not halal-certified but may be acceptable to halal-observant communities without a certification. Please ensure states and local agencies are made aware that this product may be acceptable without a certification and encourage them to work with local leaders in their community to determine acceptability to halal-observant program recipients prior to ordering.

• 111572 – Chicken, Boneless Breast, Frozen – 10/3 lb bag à 111820 – Chicken, Boneless Breast, Frozen – 10/3 lb bag
  • Updated material code to reflect a change in truckload weight from 39,000 lbs. (1,300 cases) to 37,440 lbs. (1,248 cases). No other changes were made to the specification.

• 110940 – Chicken, Canned – 24/12.5 oz can
• 110477 – Chicken, Pouch – 36/10 oz pouch
  • Removed the note in the key that indicated that canned/pouch chicken availability was subject to contract award and vendor capacity. Both products are now purchased quarterly and available for TEFAP ordering.

• 110902 – Bakery Mix, Lowfat (K) – 20/20 oz bag
  • This item is required to have a commercial kosher certification and is identified on the FAL with a (K) next to the material description.

The Kosher Foods in TEFAP and Halal Foods in TEFAP webpages have also been updated to reflect the above changes.

New Nut Options in TEFAP!

Almonds and walnuts are now available through TEFAP, expanding the number of nut options offered on the TEFAP Foods Available List. Nuts are a nutrient-dense protein food that should be included as a part of a healthy dietary pattern. Learn more about each new variety below:

Almonds – 100907

Almonds supply many important nutrients such as protein, fiber, unsaturated fats, magnesium, vitamin E, and calcium. Their mild buttery flavor and crunch can be combined with dried fruit for a healthy snack or included in sweet and savory dishes for a protein-packed addition. The almonds available through TEFAP are whole-natural unsalted almonds. Check out our Almond Product Information Sheet for more uses, tips, and recipes.

Walnuts - 100908

Walnuts offer an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. Their sweet, mild taste is a great addition to baked goods or salads and can even be used as a plant-based meat substitute in entrees, such as tacos and meatless meatballs. The walnuts available through TEFAP are unsalted walnut pieces. Keep them fresh by storing in the refrigerator or freezer. Check out our Walnut Product Information Sheet for more uses, tips, and recipes.  

FNS Debuts New Webpage About Culturally and Religiously Inclusive Foods Offered in FNS Programs

Check-out our new Culturally and Religiously Inclusive Foods Offered in FNS Programs webpage – a one-stop shop for resources and information to support cultural eating practices in federal nutrition programs. To improve nutrition security, FNS works to ensure all communities have access to foods that support health and well-being. Our goal is to ensure program participants have access to culturally and religiously inclusive foods and that program operators have resources to serve culturally and religiously diverse communities.

Culturally and Religiously Inclusive Foods Offered in FNS Programs

The CSFP Sharing Gallery: Resources For State & Local Agencies and Participants

The CSFP Sharing Gallery is a repository of resources and materials that state and local agencies can use to provide food and nutrition information to program participants. Resources are organized by format type and include recipes, handouts about food safety and nutrition, and videos with information about additional food resources, physical activity, and more.​

• Handouts in the Sharing Gallery include materials like infographics, brochures, and factsheets on a variety of nutrition education topics. These handouts can easily be printed and distributed or shared online with program participants.​

TEFAP State Agencies Wrapping Up Reach and Resiliency Round One Grant Projects 

With funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-2), FNS developed the Reach and Resiliency Grant Initiative to expand TEFAP's reach into remote, rural, Tribal, and/or low-income areas that are underserved by the program. Grant funds were awarded to TEFAP state agencies in two rounds: in June 2022, FNS awarded $39.4M in Reach and Resiliency – Round One grants to 38 state agencies, and in June 2023, FNS awarded $58.5M in Reach and Resiliency – Round Two grants to 40 state agencies. In June 2024, 17 state agencies completed their Round One projects, and the remaining 21 state agencies were approved for a no-cost extension. 

The New York State Office of General Services (NYOGS) – the TEFAP state agency in New York - was one of the state agencies that wrapped up its Round One project this June. Over the two-year life of its project, NYOGS completed several activities in partnership with eight regional food banks across the state. These activities included:

NCSFPA Conference Recap

USDA FNS representatives attended the FY 2024 National Commodity Supplemental Food Program Association (NCSFPA) conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in August 2024. To help attendees “Go to Bat for Seniors,” FNS staff provided timely program updates in a general session which included extended time for questions from the audience of state and local agencies. Additional sessions led by FNS focused on the details of caseload management and reporting, state agency meetings organized by FNS region, and a nutrition education panel.

Final Rule - Improving Access and Parity in Food Distribution Programs

On October 31, 2024, FNS announced dozens of improvements to USDA’s food distribution programs through the Food Distribution Programs: Improving Access and Parity Final Rule. The majority of rule provisions take effect on December 30, 2024. The final rule makes access and parity improvements to CSFP and TEFAP, as well as to the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) and USDA Foods disaster response regulations.

In CSFP, FNS is proud to announce an increase in CSFP’s maximum income eligibility guidelines, which will allow states to better serve seniors in higher cost of living or remote areas or those with higher medical expenses. In TEFAP, FNS is encouraging the expansion of TEFAP into Tribal areas to strengthen the emergency food assistance network in Indian Country and establishing confidentiality protections for applicants and participants. We encourage everyone to visit our webpage for the final rule, where you can find information on the many program changes, program-specific pages, and additional resources, such as a snapshot of the regulatory changes made and Q&As related to the final rule.