5/13 Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Newsletter

• Update: USDA Releases the Meal Pattern Final Rule
• Update: May is Older Americans Month
• Update: Are You an Independent Sponsor Interested in Adding a Site in FY 25?
• Update: USDA Proposed Rule, Serious Deficiency Process in CACFP and SFSP
• Reminder: CACFP Renewal Closing Date for FY 24 is June 30
• FYI: Share WIC Benefits with the Families You Serve
• Farm to CACFP Corner
• Important Dates to Remember

Update: USDA Releases the Meal Pattern Final Rule

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020–25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Final Rule. This rule finalizes nutrition requirements consistent with the 2020–25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is based on extensive public input. These updates represent continued progress toward improving the nutritional quality of meals, strengthening the Child Nutrition Programs, and advancing USDA’s commitment to nutrition security.

Updates to the CACFP Meal Pattern include:

1. Added Sugars: Added sugar will now be considered for cereal and yogurt instead of total sugar. Implementation date: 10/1/2025
   • Breakfast Cereals: Must contain no more than 6 grams of added sugars per dry ounce.
   • Yogurt: Must contain no more than 12 grams of added sugars per 6 ounces.
2. Meal Modifications: Clarifies that both state licensed healthcare professionals and registered dietitians may write medical statements to request meal modifications on behalf of participants with disabilities. Implementation date: 7/1/2025
3. Substituting Vegetables for Grains: Allows sponsors, institutions, and facilities serving primarily American Indian or Alaska Native participants to substitute vegetables to meet the grains requirement. Implementation date: 7/1/2025
4. Nuts and Seeds: Allows nuts and seeds to credit for the full meats/meat alternates component, removing the 50 percent crediting limit for nuts and seeds at breakfast, lunch, and supper. Implementation date: 7/1/2025
5. Geographical Preference Expansion: Expands the geographic preference option to allow “locally grown,” “locally raised,” or “locally caught” as procurement specifications (e.g., a written description of the product or service that the vendor must meet to be considered responsive and responsible) for unprocessed or minimally processed food items. Implementation date: 7/1/2025

USDA will be hosting a webinar on the Final Rule Updates for CACFP and SFSP Sponsors.

Register for the USDA Webinar on the Final Rule
Date: May 16, 2024
Time: 11:00am PT

Resources:

• Implementation Timeline for Updated Nutrition Requirements in CACFP & SFSP
• Final Rule - Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 DGAs
• Federal Register Notice: Meal Pattern Final Rule

Questions? Please contact your CACFP Program Specialist

Update: May is Older Americans Month

May is recognized as Older Americans Month. Here are some useful resources for you if you serve or plan to serve adults in your care.

Resources

• USDA Resource: Serving Adult Participants in the CACFP (English/Spanish)
• USDA Webinar: Serving Adult Participants
• On-Demand Webinar: Serving Adults in the CACFP: Meal Patterns, Nutrition and Resources

Update: Are You an Independent Sponsor Interested in Adding a Site in FY 25?

OSPI is hosting an in-person training for Independent Sponsors who would like to become a Sponsor of multiple sites. This training will be required to transition to a multi-site Sponsoring Organization in FY 25. If you are interested in expanding your CACFP oversight to more than one site, please complete our Multi-Site Sponsoring Organization Interest Survey.

Multi-site Sponsors have additional responsibilities including monitoring all sponsored sites, and completing a Management Plan and Budget in WINS. For more details on these requirements, please review the resources below.

Resources:

• Multi-Site Sponsor Administrative Requirements
• Monitoring for Sponsoring Organizations Reference Sheet
• Canvas Trainings:
  • FY 24 Multiple Site Sponsors Recorded Training
  • FY 24 Monitoring Webinar

Update: USDA Proposed Rule, Serious Deficiency Process in CACFP and SFSP

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (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)”. The proposed rule can be viewed here: Federal Register Notice 

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, improve consistency in the serious deficiency process within and across States and strengthen program integrity.  

Request for Comments

Written comments must be received on or before May 21, 2024 to be considered.

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

See USDA’s Serious Deficiency Process in the CACFP and SFSP webpage for more information, including a summary chart of proposed provisions.  

To learn more, view the recorded webinar titled “The Serious Deficiency Process in the CACFP and SFSP Proposed Rule”.

Reminder: CACFP Renewal Closing Date for FY 24 is June 30

The renewal closing date for the current program year is June 30, 2024.

If your organization is planning to operate the CACFP during August or September 2024 and is not operating the program this school year, you must complete the program renewal application in WINS no later than June 30, 2024.

Sponsors most affected by this change are those who plan to operate At-Risk or Pre-school programs.

To start the FY 24 renewal process, refer to the CACFP Application and Renewal Reference Sheet and the CACFP Preparing to Complete Renewal Application Checklist.

Questions? Contact your Program Specialist. 

FYI: Share WIC Benefits with the Families You Serve

Washington WIC gives families access to nutritious food and provides health screening, risk assessment, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health and social services. The program provides essential services for pregnant people, new and breastfeeding persons, infants, and children under five. Most pregnant people and young children on Medicaid or Basic Food (SNAP) qualify for WIC services. To meet the needs of families there have been important changes to the program: WIC enrolls new applicants, provides nutrition education and breastfeeding support, and issues food benefits by phone or video chat. WIC expanded the choice of foods allowed for purchase using WIC benefits. Participants can shop for WIC foods using a WIC card, which makes shopping easier. The WIC Shopper app guides shoppers and provides recipes as well as parenting tips!

What Can You Do to Help Spread the Word?

Help the families you serve by sharing information about the benefits of WIC. The Department of Health has a great handout you can share (see image) that is available in 14 languages. You can order it from myPRINT.wa.gov so you can offer them to families.  

Find WIC Services in Your Area

• Text "WIC" to 96859
• Visit ParentHelp123's Resource Finder
• Call the Help Me Grow WA Hotline at 1-800-322-2588

Resource: WIC, Healthy Food and A Lot More!

Farm to CACFP Corner

Harvest of the Month

To support sponsors in integrating local foods into your meals, OSPI is excited to feature Harvest of the Month resource sheets.  Each month we will highlight one local food that will be in season the following month. The resource sheets will include fun facts, nutritional information, selection and storage tips, recipe ideas, and educational resources. 

This month we are featuring Apricots for the month of April, click here to check it out.  You can find this and future Harvest of the Month resource sheets on our Farm to CACFP webpage.

Harvest of the Summer 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 in 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, educational resources and activities.

We will highlight the following foods during the months of July and August. 

You can find Harvest of the Summer Calendar and future harvest of the Summer resource sheets on our Farm to CACFP webpage. 

Grant and Other Opportunities

APPLY NOW! Oregon & Washington Farm to ECE Institute Application is LIVE!

Important Dates to Remember