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May
Less than one month left to submit SFSP application (WINS Application & Survey) and complete online Canvas annual training requirements.
June
1. SFSP Application Submission Deadline June 1— WINS Application & Survey must be submitted no later than close of business June 1, 2024.
An application submission is not an automatic approval. Meals served cannot be claimed for days prior to an approved application. Plan ahead — OSPI has 30 days to approve a complete and accurate application once submitted.
2. SFSP Federal Application Deadline June 15
This is a USDA requirement with no exceptions. SFSP application submissions received after June 1, 2024 will only be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.
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Q3: State agencies may not allow sponsors to participate as a restricted open site instead of an open site solely to serve meals to an identified group of children without a valid reason. Closed enrolled sites, conditional non-congregate sites, and camps have the discretion to limit attendance to enrolled children, who could be an identified group based on residency.
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Q11: It is unacceptable to provide a non-congregate meal simultaneously with a congregate meal. Ex: Serving a congregate and non-congregate lunch at the same time. It would be acceptable to provide congregate breakfast and then non-congregate lunch once breakfast service was finished and participants are leaving the site 7 CFR 225.6(h)(4)(ii).
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Q12: It is not permissible for a school food authority (SFA) to provide a congregate breakfast and lunch to children enrolled in summer school, while simultaneously providing a non-congregate meal service for children in the community. Sites which provide summer school sessions must ensure that meal sites are open to both the children enrolled in the summer school as well as those that reside in the area served by the site. Furthermore, schools offering accredited summer school programs cannot enroll in the SFSP as a restricted open site solely to serve non-congregate meals to summer school attendees 7 CFR 225.6(h)(4)(ii) and 7 CFR 225.14(d)(2).
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Q27: Childcare providers cannot collect Program meals on behalf of parents or guardians for children attending their childcare. Childcare providers who care for whole groups of unrelated children formally enrolled in their care should not be considered guardians under the State agency’s definition.
See OSPI’s definition of "guardian” for the purpose of non-congregate meal service below.
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Q38: Not all food items are required to be bulk if a sponsor is approved for the grocery style bulk food component flexibility. For example, gallons of milk may be served with other unitized items.
OSPI defines “guardian” for the purpose of non-congregate meal service as persons who are principally responsible for the care of the child that day, such as grandparents or other adults functioning as childcare providers.
Persons who meet OSPI’s definition of “guardian”, for the purpose of non-congregate meal service, are suitable guardians to collect meals on behalf of children on days when they are providing care. Other persons (i.e. “proxies”), such as adults providing care to unrelated children formally enrolled in childcare, are not considered guardians, and may not pick up meals without the child(ren) present.
Sponsors must determine how to implement and enforce this requirement. Consider the proposed site type (e.g., open, closed) and whether your procedures are appropriate or could potentially hinder access for eligible children.
USDA added new yields to the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-based (FBG) Tool and FBG Mobile App earlier this month. New yield data is available for:
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USDA Foods canned mixed fruit and canned beef
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Smoked salmon fillet
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Cactus fruit (prickly pear)
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Purple rice
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Instant long grain brown rice
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Quick cooking medium grain brown rice
To ensure optimal program communication, School Districts participating in either SFSP or SSO who contract with a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) are required to complete the following:
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List the district employed food service director or the designated school district employee responsible for overseeing FSMC activities in WINS.
- Include this designated school district employee in all email communications regarding the SFSP/SSO program.
Please note, program specialists may ask who this individual is to include them in future communications while we assist districts with meeting this new requirement.
Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
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Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
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Mail: Send comments to Community Meals Policy Division, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314.
All comments submitted in response to this proposed rule will be included in the record and will be made available to the public. Please be advised that the substance of the comments and the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be subject to public disclosure. The USDA will make the comments publicly available on the internet via https://www.regulations.gov.
USDA released the public inspection copy of the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Public inspection offers a preview of documents scheduled to appear in the next day’s Federal Register issue. This final rule officially published in the Federal Register, Thursday, April 25, 2024.
Below are key SFSP updates from the Final Rule:
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Allows the substitution of vegetables for grains in tribal communities
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Allows nuts and seeds to credit for the full meats and meat alternates component in SFSP (and all other CNPs)
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Removes the 50 percent limit for nuts and seeds for SFSP lunch/supper
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Expands the Geographical Preferences option for procurement specifications
USDA will offer webinars for key audiences, including State agencies, school food authorities, and the public that will introduce the provisions in the final rule.
OSPI has been approved for the following state waivers for Summer 2024:
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Extended waiver to allow non-congregate meal service during unanticipated school closures through June 30, 2024
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SFSP Offer Versus Serve (OVS) Meal Service for Non-SFAs
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SFSP/SSO Extreme Heat or Air Quality –
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Non-congregate meal service
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Parent/Guardian meal pickup
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Meal service times
The Extreme Heat waiver may be used on days the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Heat Advisory, Excessive Heat Warning or Excessive Heat Watch in an area in which an approved outdoor meal site is located.
The Air Quality waiver may be used on days when the area is experiencing an Air Quality Index (AQI) “purple” flag or higher.
Sponsors must be considered in good standing in SFSP/SSO and will be approved on a case-by-case basis for each waiver requested. Additional supporting documentation for waiver requests may be required.
USDA published the Proposed Rule entitled “Serious Deficiency Process in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)” in the Federal Register. The proposed rule can be viewed here: Federal Register Notice
Through this proposed rulemaking, the USDA is proposing important modifications to the serious deficiency process in CACFP, extending the process to CACFP unaffiliated sponsored centers, and establishing a serious deficiency process in SFSP. These changes will improve consistency in language and process among statute, regulations, and guidance for both CACFP and SFSP. Additionally, these changes will improve consistency in the serious deficiency process within and across States and strengthen program integrity.
Written comments must be received on or before May 21, 2024 to be assured of consideration.
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Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
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Mail: Send comments to: Navneet Kaur Sandhu, Program Integrity and Innovation Division, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314.
All written comments submitted in response to the provisions of this proposed rule will be included in the record and will be made available to the public. Please be advised that the substance of the comments and the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be subject to public disclosure. USDA will make the written comments publicly available on the internet via https://www.regulations.gov.
Harvest of the Summer
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Summer is a time of agricultural abundance and a great time to integrate local foods into your menu. OSPI is excited to feature Harvest of the Summer Calendar and resource sheets. Each week for the months of July and August we will highlight one local food that will be in season. The resource sheets will include fun facts, nutritional information, selection and storage tips, recipe ideas, and educational resources/activities. |
We will highlight the following foods during the months of July and August.
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Week 1: 7/1–7/5: Spinach
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Week 2: 7/8–7/12: Rhubarb
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Week 3: 7/15–7/19: Raspberries
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Week 4: 7/22–7/26: Cucumbers
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Week 5: 7/29–8/2: Plums
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Week 6: 8/5–8/9: Cherry Tomatoes
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Week 7: 8/12–8/16: Basil
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Week 8: 8/19–8/23: Watermelon
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Week 9: 8/26–8/30: Cantaloupe
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You can find the Harvest of the Summer Calendar and future harvest of the summer resource sheets on the Farm to SFSP webpage.
Farm to Summer Week Pledge
OSPI invites you to participate in Farm to Summer Week, July 15–19. Participation means including fresh, local foods in SFSP menus and offering food-related enrichment activities to program participants.
To participate, pledge to serve at least one local food product in your meal that week, provide one food education activity (in-person or virtual), and share your stories about Farm to Summer Week using social media (or your communication method of choice) during the week of July 15–19! Start planning now to include at least one local food item in your SFSP meals that week.
Including fresh, local foods in the menus increases meal quality and supports local farmers. Nutrition and agriculture enrichment activities have been shown to increase kids’ willingness to try new foods.
Resources
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June 1
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SFSP/SSO Application Submission Deadline
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