|
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released new policy guidance to support school meal program operations following the publication of the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
We have been notified by dairy processors and distributors within the state of potential milk shortages. According to 7 CFR 210.10(d)(2)(i), “if a school cannot get a supply of fluid milk, it can still participate in the Program under the following conditions: if emergency conditions temporarily prevent a school that normally has a supply of fluid milk from obtaining delivery of such milk, the State agency may allow the school to serve meals during the emergency period with an alternate form of fluid milk or without fluid milk.” USDA also clarified these flexibilities in SP 01-2024, CACFP 01-2024, SFSP 01-2024: Clarification of Allowable Flexibilities for Child Nutrition Programs Experiencing Milk Supply Shortages.
To receive reimbursement for the meals served without the required milk type or missing the milk variety, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) need approval from OSPI. LEAs would need to submit the following to OSPI:
- Documentation from the vendor or distributor describing why milk was not available or delivered;
- Type of alternate fluid milk to be offered, or meal offered without milk;
- School sites affected by the milk shortage; and
- Dates of the anticipated shortage.
Questions? Please contact your School Meals Program Specialist.
If you were unable to attend the Basics of Operating School Meal Programs training at the School Meals Annual Training this year, we are hosting another training opportunity.
REGISTER HERE
Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Time: 8am–5pm
Location: Renton School District | Kohlwes Education Center
300 SW 7th Street, Renton, WA 98057
This training is helpful for those who started working in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) within the last five years. This 8-hour training is designed for food service directors or those in a managerial role. We will focus on the basics of operating a successful school meal program, including meal pattern, menu planning, USDA Foods, and accurate point-of-service meal counting.
This will be an interactive, action-packed training led by Doug Wordell. This training is limited to 25 people. Register soon to save your spot.
Questions? Please email CNSTraining@k12.wa.us
Program operators offering the NSLP and SBP during the 2024–25 school year are encouraged to join us for monthly webinars!
OSPI will discuss annual program requirements, new policy guidance, important reminders, and provide an opportunity for you to ask questions. The next webinar is November 7!
Register for the School Meal Programs Monthly Webinars here!
Dates: Monthly, September 2024 – June 2025
Time: 2–3pm PT
Please note: You only have to register once, and you will receive updates and reminders for each webinar.
Reminders
- Save these webinars on your calendar! When you register, there is an option to add the event to your calendar at the bottom of the confirmation email.
- A reminder email with the webinar link is sent one hour before the session starts.
- Webinar slides are sent to everyone registered for the session, even if they did not attend.
- Monthly webinars are not recorded.
Please keep an eye out in your inbox for these emails. If you do not see them in your inbox, check your SPAM box.
|
 |
|
Sedro-Woolley School District
Beef - it's what's for lunch. Sedro-Woolley served up 100% beef franks from Three Sisters Farm, coleslaw with cabbage and carrots from Ralph's Greenhouse, and Tsugaru apples from Bellewood Acres.
|
West Valley School District - Yakima
How sweet it is! Homemade cinnamon rolls made with whole wheat and all-purpose flour from Cascade Milling in Royal City, WA were featured.
|
|
 |
 |
|
Bainbridge Island School District
Soup there it is! Scratch-made Pozole with Washington-grown pork was served for lunch.
|
South Kitsap School District
The Washington way! South Kitsap featured Bison & Bean Chili with locally made tortilla chips, Washington apple slices, broccoli salad with Washington dried cherries, and a scratch-made fruit crisp with Washington blueberries and raspberries.
|
|
 |
 |
|
Pe Ell School District
Fresh from the Farm! Their lunch featured fruits, vegetables, chicken and bacon from Kirsop Farms, Sasquatch Farm, Piece by Piece Farm, Rising River, Burnt Ridge Nursery, Newaukum Valley, Collins Family Orchard, Four Elements, Dairy Fresh and Wobbly Cart Farm.
|
Vancouver School District
Wild about lunch! High school students were served wild-caught coho salmon and wild rice pilaf with dried cherries with products purchased from Muckleshoot Seafood Products (MSP) in Seattle, Rowley & Hawkins Fruit Farms in Mesa, Ralph’s Greenhouse in Mt Vernon, and DeGoede Farms in Sumner.
|
|
 |
Team Nutrition released a new training series, The Road to Successful Menu Planning for School Meals, to help schools plan and implement menus that support updates to the school nutrition standards.
This training series includes quarterly one-hour live (and recorded) webinars co-hosted with the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN). It also includes short on-demand trainings. Both are designed to provide school nutrition professionals with quick tips, tools, and knowledge needed to meet the nutrition standards for added sugars and sodium and to help create a road map for successful school menu planning now through School Year 2027–2028.
Watch this recorded one-hour webinar with the Institute of Child Nutrition:
Check out these short (15 minutes), on-demand trainings:
The trainings above can count toward USDA Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs, Key Area 1000: Nutrition and Training Topic 1100: Menu Planning.
These trainings and more are available at Institute of Child Nutrition’s iLearn portal and USDA’s Professional Standards Training Database.
Check out Team Nutrition’s website for more menu planning, nutrition education, and promotion materials.
How did you Celebrate National Farm to School Month?
With National Farm to School Month ending this week, OSPI would love to see how your district celebrated. Share your pictures and stories by emailing the Farm to Child Nutrition team at farmtocnp@k12.wa.us or tag us in your social media posts by using @waOSPI and the hashtags #WAfarmtoschool, #SchoolMeals, #WAedu, #WAOSPI.
Events and Webinars
Tilth Alliance Conference - Taste of the PNW Organic – November 14
Tilth Alliance will have a free pre conference Taste of the PNW Organic event on Thursday, Nov. 14! Designed to foster connection and sales opportunities between organic producers (and those transitioning to organic) and wholesale buyers of organic grains, fruits, vegetables, and other organic products, Taste of PNW Organic will feature interactive panel discussions, an industry trade show and collaborative networking. All are invited to learn, network, sample, and explore sales relationships!
NEWESD 101 Culinary Training and Networking Event – Walla Walla – October 29
Register for Northeast Washington Educational Service District 101's farm to school culinary training and networking event in Walla Walla October 29.
-
9am–1pm: Culinary training for school nutrition staff. Learn culinary skills and cook delicious seasonal recipes utilizing local foods.
-
1pm–3pm: Local farmers and other partners will join school nutrition staff to taste the recipes prepared in the morning, enjoy a presentation from the NESWESD 101 Farm to School Regional Coordinator, and network with participants.
Grant Opportunities
Community Food Projects Grant RFA — Deadline: 11/7/24
The USDA Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program released its annual Request for Applications (RFA). $4.8 million is available for projects that build community food self-reliance and address food insecurity. Grants may range from $25,000 to $50,000 for planning grants, and $125,000 to $400,000 for implementation grants. Eligible organizations include public food program service providers, tribal organizations, or private nonprofit entities, including gleaners, are eligible to apply.
Waste Not Washington School Awards — Closes 10/31/24
The Waste Not Washington School Awards promote sustainability and reward school efforts to reduce waste, recycle, and teach environmental curriculum. Up to $5,000 awarded per project.
Register to Attend the 2025 USDA Foods Show
OSPI is hosting a USDA Foods show for School Meal Program sponsors. The food show will include education sessions on a variety of topics relevant to USDA Foods and a tasting event to sample USDA Foods available to order.
The food show is free, with two opportunities to attend. Registration is now open.
Register for the West Side
Location: University Place, WA
Date: January 27, 2025
Time: 8:00am–3:00pm PT
Register for the East Side
Location: Spokane, WA
Date: January 31, 2025
Time: 8:00am–3:00pm PT
Registration closes January 20, 2025. Please limit to two attendees per district.
Suggest a Presentation for the USDA Foods Show
Interested in facilitating an education session or want to suggest a topic? Complete the Presentation Submission Survey by Friday, November 1, 2024. Presentations should focus on topics relevant to the USDA Foods Distribution program.
December Order Period Opens November 6
December orders open Wednesday, November 6, and will close Wednesday, November 13, at 4 pm.
Surplus orders will open Thursday, November 14, at 1 pm for groups 1 and 2; 1:30 pm for group 3; and 2 pm for group 4.
Surplus closes Friday, November 15, at 4 pm.
There are new group numbers this year. Please verify your Group Numbers Reference Sheet to see when you have access to Surplus.
Ordering
- To place an order: log-in to CNP Web.
- Your Food Distribution Application must be completed (including certified and submitted) before you can place an order.
- Sponsor Ordering Instructions
- Reminder: Minimum of 20 cases per warehouse (dry vs frozen).
The Ordering and Receiving webpage has multiple resources to assist you in placing your order including instructions and the order and distribution schedule.
Important Reminders
-
Confirmation of USDA Foods
- If you’re scheduled to receive a USDA Foods Delivery, you should receive an appointment confirmation from the carrier. Please remember to reply to the carrier confirming receipt of appointment.
-
Deliveries
- To update or change your delivery contact person, please complete the Delivery Updates Form.
- Standard USDA food deliveries are wrapped and stacked on pallets no higher than approximately five feet and left at your loading dock for you to remove.
- Carriers will drop pallets at the dock or just inside the threshold of your facility if the entrance can accommodate. Any request for removal of product from the pallet or asking the driver to enter the facility will require additional cost and must be arranged in advance.
- If there are delivery discrepancies or damages, you may return those cases with the driver.
Questions? Please email the Food Distribution team inbox or call 360-725-6204.
|
Last year, OSPI provided LFS foods at no cost with USDA. In School Year (SY) 2024–25, LFS foods are offered both at a cost and for free. This transition helps ensure sustainability of the project. LFS addresses common barriers to Farm to School by lowering procurement, transportation, and logistical hurdles.
Three Ways to Get LFS Foods in SY 2024–25:
-
Pre-ordered: If you pre-ordered LFS foods in February 2024, place orders during the open order period. The cost of these foods is listed under “processing fee.”
-
Surplus Order Period: If you didn’t pre-order LFS foods, extra LFS foods will be available on a first-come, first-served basis during the Surplus order period. The same cost applies.
-
Bonus Foods: A limited number of items are available for free during the Surplus order period.
See the Order and Delivery Schedule 2024–25 for Surplus order periods.
Note: OSPI is covering delivery costs for LFS foods through January 2025.
See the CNP Web message board for a complete list of products and processing fees.
See the Local Food for Schools website for LFS Fact Sheets and educational materials.
USDA recently announced additional funding for the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program. We will share updates, including any impact to the Washington LFS project, when we receive additional information from USDA.
Questions? Contact Sarah Davis.
|
