June 2026 Monthly Newsletter

Couldn’t make it to MegaCon this year? Great news! You asked, and we listened. We are bringing the most in-demand conference sessions straight to you through our MegaCon Webinar Series, and we’ve just added a new session to the lineup! 

Training Best Practices: Smaller Trainings for Bigger Impact 
July 22, 2026 | 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. (Central Time) via Microsoft Teams Webinar
Register Here:  Training Best Practices: Smaller Trainings for Bigger Impact Registration Link

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Join us for a live, interactive training session designed specifically for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsors. In this engaging webinar, you will explore the most common training pitfalls and ways to avoid them.  You will look at the differences between training needs and process issues, and how assumptions and clear communication can impact training success.  

 
Dates & Registration:

• June 24, 2026: Register Here 

• July 15, 2026: Register Here 

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On May 8, 2026, USDA published the Final Rule: Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs, which will codify in regulation specific milk flexibilities that were first announced in the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025. The Act allowed for the service of whole and reduced-fat (2%) milk to children ages 2 and up who receive school lunches through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

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2026-2027 CACFP Application Opens Soon!

PY27 Renewal season is right around the corner! The 2026-2027 CACFP application will be available on TX-UNPS beginning July 1, 2026. Please review the Renewing CEs page on SquareMeals for more information.

TDA has published new Invitation for Bid and Contract templates for CACFP and SFSP to align bonding requirements with TDA’s own simplified acquisition threshold. Effective immediately, contracting organizations in CACFP and SFSP procuring a vended meals contract must obtain bid and performance bonds if the contract value equals or exceeds $100,000, in accordance with the contract terms.

Section 4400, Meal Service, of the CACFP Handbook has been updated to reflect expanded milk options within CACFP (as documented in Final Rule - Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs) and to correct a typo in the CACFP Lunch Meal Pattern.

You can find the updated Section 4400 and a complete CACFP Handbook on SquareMeals.  

Please replace any previous versions of the above sections that you may have saved.

TDA has updated the Child Care Center Meal Production Record (H1530) to reflect the expanded milk choice options for children ages 2 and up as described in Final Rule - Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs.

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Please join the Texas Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition team for a Community Call on Monday, July 27 at 1:30 p.m. 

Click here to join the meeting for the latest TDA updates related to policy, training, community operations, and more.