Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)
Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
SP 18-2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs
This USDA policy memorandum provides information on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-42). Areas of focus include the following:
Crediting of Vegetables at Breakfast
- Based on the Appropriations Act, through SY 2024-25, schools may offer any vegetable in place of fruit at breakfast. Program operators are encouraged to include a variety of vegetables at breakfast when utilizing this flexibility. In SY 2025-26, school food authorities will be required to offer at least two vegetable subgroups at breakfast per week, if offering vegetables in place of fruit at breakfast more than once per week.
Prohibition of the Use of Chicken and Seafood from China
- Child Nutrition Program operators may not use Program funds to procure raw or processed poultry or seafood products from the People’s Republic in China.
Compliance with Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Requirements
- Only school food authorities (SFAs) that had a negative balance in the nonprofit school food service account as of June 30, 2023, shall be required to establish a price for paid lunches. SFAs with a positive or zero balance in its nonprofit school food service account as of June 30, 2023, are exempt from paid lunch equity pricing requirements.
Required Inclusion of Low-fat or Fat-free Flavored Milk in CNP Meal Patterns; and
- Service and reimbursement of low-fat (1% fat) or fat-free flavored milk for participants in grades K-12 in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs is allowable.
Maintaining SY 2023-2024 Sodium Limits in School Meal Patterns through SY 2026-2027.
- Sodium limits currently in effect for SY 2023-24 in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs are now effective through SY 2026-27. After SY 2026-27, the sodium limit for these programs cannot be more restrictive than the Target 2 sodium levels published in the 2012 final rule “Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs”.
SP 19-2024 Initial Implementation Memorandum: Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
This USDA policy memorandum outlines the major changes of this final rule by providing an overview of the provisions finalized in the rule, outlines which Child Nutrition Programs are impacted, and provides the implementation date for each provision. Additionally, there is a chart that provides a streamlined overview of the changes by program.
Provisions are related to the following areas:
- Added sugars
- Milk
- Whole grains
- Sodium
- meats/meat alternates at breakfast
- Substituting vegetables for grains in Tribal communities
- Traditional Indigenous foods
- National School Lunch Program Afterschool snacks
- Substituting vegetables for fruits at breakfast
- Nuts and seeds
- Beans, peas, and lentils at lunch
- Competitive foods-bean dip exemption
- Meal modifications
- Clarification on potable water requirements
- Synthetic trans fat
- Professional standards: hiring exception for medium and large local educational agencies
- Buy American
- Geographic preference
- Miscellaneous changes
SP 20-2024 Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grants - Notice of Funding Availability
USDA announced that $10 million was provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 for State agencies to competitively award equipment assistance grants to eligible local education agencies, school food authorities, and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. Wisconsin was appropriated $170,191.
SP 21-2024 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Allocation of Funds for Fiscal Year 2025
USDA announced that $231.5 million is available for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. The memo also services as a reminder on the funding requirements and deadlines and important program requirements. Wisconsin was allocated $4,296,440.
SP 22-2024 Geographic Preference Expansion Related to the Final Rule Titled, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
This USDA memorandum provides a detailed explanation of the expanded geographic preference option; beginning July 1, 2024. Highlights include the following:
- The geographic preference option can be applied to “unprocessed locally grown or locally raised agricultural products,” and was defined in such a way as to allow for some minimal processing, food handling, and preservation techniques.
- Child Nutrition Program (CNP) operators may now use local (e.g., “locally grown”, “locally raised”, or “locally caught”) as a specification for local unprocessed agricultural products purchased for program meals, snacks, and milk. CNP operators can require that an unprocessed agricultural product be locally grown, raised, or caught to meet the solicitation requirements and remove products or bids that do not meet this standard from consideration.
- This provision applies to local unprocessed agriculture product purchases for any of the Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs), including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), Special Milk Program (SMP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and purchases made for CNPs by State agencies and the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (USDA DOD Fresh).
Additionally, USDA provides an overview chart noting what is changing and what is not.
Turnip the Beet 2024 Nomination Packet Available
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is pleased to share the availability of the Turnip the Beet 2024 Nomination Packet. The Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors across the nation who work hard to offer high quality meals to children that are appetizing, appealing, and nutritious during the summer months. Please consider promoting the opportunity to apply for a Turnip the Beet award. More information can be found on the Turnip the Beet Webpage.
Other Updates and Information
May S.T.A.R. Webinar: Inventory Management in Schools: Strategies for Tracking and Controlling Costs
Thursday, May 30, 2024
2-3 pm CST
Effective inventory management is essential for school nutrition programs. It helps maintain optimal food and supply levels, minimizes costs, and ensures smooth operations.
Join our webinar to hear about:
- Proven strategies for tracking and controlling inventory costs
- Understanding demand patterns
- Using technology to boost inventory efficiency
- Implementing efficient tracking systems
You will gain valuable insights to streamline your inventory processes and improve your program's efficiency.
SNA Key Area(s): 2–Operations
USDA Professional Standards Code(s): 2510 – Inventory Management, 2520 – Receiving & Storage
Learning Objective(s)
By the end of this webinar, attendees will:
Recall effective inventory tracking strategies for controlling costs and ensuring the necessary food supply is consistently available for production.
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Jill K. Underly, PhD, State Superintendent
125 S Webster Street
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 266-3390 • (800) 441-4563