April 2025 Monthly Newsletter |
Thank you for celebrating the 2nd annual Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day with us on April 4th! Please send your photos and success stories to Nutrition@TexasAgriculture.gov for a chance to be featured!
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Commissioner Sid Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) invite you to MegaCon 2025 – in Austin, May 21-23, 2025. To learn more about this conference, please visit the conference website.
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• Your State Contracted Warehouse inventory system is the inventory system used for SY25, so it is highly important that training has been completed for staff that place delivery orders and maintain inventory at your school sites. Ask system questions directly to the State Contracted Warehouse staff.
• TDA surplus from Gold Star Foods servicing FDP Regions 1,2,3,5,and 8 has been provided to all schools through TDA's Fair Share process. Each school will be receiving 10-11 cases free of Entitlement. Delivery fees will be reimbursed in August for these cases. TDA suggests incorporating these free items into your menus and possibly using them to test new recipes or explore other avenues. TDA appreciates your cooperation and support with this new effort.
• Ensure you are organizing your current storage space and monitoring your inventory in conjunction with your menu planning. If you have any questions regarding your menus or inventory, contact your Education Service Center representative.
• As a reminder, keep your USDA Foods inventory levels less than 6 months on hand (MOH) to maintain compliance with the NSLP for SY25. Monitor your Best-If-Used-By Dates, Expiration Dates, and Pack Dates to maintain inventory at optimum quality.
• Ensure all invoices are paid within 30 days of receiving your inventory or private storage fees.
• TDA has been reviewing the SY25 Private Storage reports from all FDP Regions and has instructed State Contracted Warehouses to force ship inventory that has been sitting over 45 days to your sites. Please place your delivery orders, accordingly. All inventory must be on a delivery order by April 30, 2025.
• As you are aware, the Weekly Commodity Bulletin is no longer available to schools in TX-UNPS. In previous years, TDA has utilized the below reports/resources to pull together the information presented within the Weekly Commodity Bulletin. Each school will need to review the following reports/resources to gather the necessary information:
1. Identify items received/used through the reports below:
*WBSCM Reports*
a. Requisition Status Report
b. Value of Commodities Received – details products that have been shipped to your warehouse or processor:
*State Contracted Warehouse reports
*DOD Usage Reports
*ProcessorLink or K12 usage Reports
2. Once you have items used/received, you can use one of two tools on SquareMeals to determine value of commodities received:
a. Cost Comparison Tool – used to help you determine the value of commodities received to ensure that your school received the correct credit, rebates, or discounts.
b. USDA Process Material Prices – provides an average material price for all USDA Foods even though it references Processor Materials.
Processor Material Prices | Food and Nutrition Service
3. Connect with your ESC should you need assistance with any transfer requests. Ensure you are utilizing the H4529 Transfer Jotform for TDA approved transfers.
4.Visit SquareMeals for ESC Contact Information
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The Texas Automated Nutrition System (TANS) will replace TX-UNPS for administration and management of all nutrition programs. Timelines, resources, and updates are available now on the Systems Hub.
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The application deadline for the HMI Recognition Awards is June 30, 2025! Visit the HMI website for more information and visit our SquareMeals page to see our Texas HMI awardees so far!
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Visit USDA for more information on the Final Rule and upcoming changes. Let us know what kind of resources would best support you in implementing these new meal standards – Click here!
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The Program Year 2025 application for Seamless Summer Option (SSO) is NOW OPEN in TX-UNPS. More information about operating SSO and technical assistance for completing the SSO application are available from your local Education Service Center. Please submit early to avoid service delays.
The deadline for submitting the SSO application is May 31, 2025.
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The 2025-2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs) for all child nutrition and household programs have been released and posted to SquareMeals.
Additionally, the following resources have been updated with the latest IEGs:
• H1640 – TEFAP IEGs
• H1668 – SFMNP IEGs
• H1625A – CACFP IEGs
• 2025-2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines for Determining Free and Reduced Price Benefits (NSLP and SBP Resource)
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School Year 2025-2026
Many have inquired about requisition status updates for Gold Star Foods as Fort Worth instead of Houston. Gold Star foods will be utilizing a new warehouse for the new school year. No additional action items needed at this time on your part.
If you opted into the DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetables program you will also see your allocation in WBSCM. TDA will load these funds into FFAVORS in late June.
The current rate of assistance published by USDA is .45 cents per meal. Inital PY 26 Planned Assistance Level (PAL) is located in WBSCM Reports, Entitlement/Bonus Summary Report.
Requests of USDA Foods can be tracked from the WBSCM Requisition Status Report. Ongoing fluctuations will occur until Purchased Status.
Refer to the Food Distribution Program for NSLP Resources page for helpful information regarding ordering USDA Foods.
School Year 2024-2025
DoD Fresh FFV Program Participants:
Please remember to complete receipts in FFAVORS for each delivery within 2 business days from the date of delivery.
TDA monitors monthly utilization of DoD funds in FFAVORS to ensure proper use of entitlement. To maximize your DoD entitlement SFAs should be spending, at minimum, 10% per month. SFAs who have not been utilizing funds may be at risk of redistribution.
All ordering is complete for SY25. RAs can validate with a Requisition Status Report in WBSCM and checking the "Requisition Status" for “Approved by SDA”.
Please check your user accounts in WBSCM to validate that appropriate SFA staff are active, have the correct roles assigned, and that their emails are up to date.
Sales Orders that are in "Order Received" status are available at your contracted warehouse and must be placed on a delivery schedule as soon as possible.
Please check with your contracted warehouse if you need any available surplus.
TX-UNPS Weekly Commodity Bulletin will no longer track entitlement allocations and balances for SY25. RAs must utilize a combination of reporting from WBSCM, FFAVORS and distributor systems.
For questions regarding USDA Foods, please contact your respective Education Service Center Child Nutrition representative(s) for guidance, training, and technical assistance in WBSCM.
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