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May 2024 Monthly Newsletter
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On April 24, USDA released the final and improved nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. This rule gradually phases in added sugar limits and includes a single sodium reduction. Schools are not required to make any changes to their menus until school year 2025-2026. USDA has released the following resources to support implementation: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/school-nutrition-standards-updates. Click the headline for more information and a summary of the rule’s provisions.
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On May 9, at 1 PM CT, USDA will host a webinar for School Food Authorities on the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Click the headline for details.
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TDA has developed and released a new online form for disqualified operators wishing to be removed from the National Disqualified List and/or Texas Excluded SFSP List prior to the end of the required minimum seven years.
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WBSCM Transition Page and Training Material Moved
The Web-Based Supply Chain Management Transition page will no longer be available on squaremeals.org, all training materials have been moved to their respective areas. The training materials for USDA Foods Ordering in WBSCM are located on the new USDA Foods Ordering training page on SquareMeals.org.
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New Systems Hub on SquareMeals
Food and Nutrition created a consolidated webpage - Systems Hub - to assist entities in navigating to the pages more easily and quickly accessing TX-UNPS and WBSCM information, training, and the systems. Try the new hub at www.squaremeals.org/Systems today!
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On April 5, TDA opened up the request form for eligible SFSP and SSO operators who want to serve non-congregate summer meals in rural areas this summer. Please refer to the Summer Non-Congregate Feeding Program page on SquareMeals to access the form, updated site eligibility map, and important FAQs about participation eligibility and requirements.
Click the headline for more information.
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Order Summer Meal Promotional Materials
TDA’s automatic shipment of printed summer outreach materials has been completed. If you did not receive your shipment, please email SummerMeals@TexasAgriculture.gov and tracking numbers will be provided. If you would like to order additional printed materials to promote summer meals in your community, please complete this form. Click here for access to all Summer Meal Program resources.
Extreme Heat/Air Quality Non-Congregate Waivers Available in Summer 2024
USDA has approved TDA's request to allow SFSP or SSO non-congregate service on days in which a Heat Advisory, Heat Warning, or Air Quality Index "purple" flag is issued. All operators must notify TDA via the Extreme Heat/Air Quality Non-Congregate Waiver Request form (updated version coming soon) and submit the form for each day that non-congregate meals were served. Click the headline for details.
"And Justice for All" Poster - Updated Guidance
USDA has confirmed that there is no release date scheduled for new "And Justice for All" (AFJA) Civil Rights posters. All operators should use the 2019 version. Operators that no longer have the 2019 version can print the original 2019 version from SquareMeals or a slightly updated version from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website. Click the headline for details.
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Expansion of SFSP and SSO Options during Unanticipated School Closure
While regulation limits the use of SFSP and SSO during an unanticipated school closure to the months of October through April, TDA has received waiver approval to allow schools to serve SFSP and SSO if an unanticipated closure occurs outside of that window. Currently, the waiver is allowable through June 30, 2024. TDA will request a similar waiver for School Year 2024-2025 to allow for this option for the entire school year.
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service is extending the public comment period on the interim final rule, “Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal Programs,’’ which published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2023. This action extends the public comment period From April 29, 2024, to August 27, 2024, to give the public additional time to prepare and submit comments. Click the headline for details.
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Now Available! New Food Yields Added to the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs New yields are now available in the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-based (FBG) Tool and FBG Mobile App. New yield data is available for USDA Foods canned mixed fruit and canned beef, smoked salmon fillet, cactus fruit (prickly pear), purple rice, instant long grain brown rice, and quick cooking medium grain brown rice.
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Now Available! Child Nutrition Database (CNDB) Release 27
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Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards!
The Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) Recognition Awards application process and award criteria have been streamlined to make it easier and faster to apply! With 8 awards possible, apply to spotlight your innovative practices and efforts in improving the nutritional quality of school meals. Awardees receive national recognition and a travel stipend to attend an exclusive national healthy meals summit during October in Las Vegas! Visit here to learn more and apply!
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Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day!
Schools across the Lone Star state celebrated the first Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day! Students had the opportunity to enjoy fresh, local produce and participate in nutrition-based activities that expanded their fruit and vegetable knowledge! Click here to see celebrations filled with Texas-sized spirit for fruits and vegetables. Have feedback or ideas for next year’s celebration? Click here to let us know! For more information about Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day, click here.
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2024 Annual National Conference - Scholarships Available!
The School Nutrition Foundation and School Nutrition Association will be awarding scholarships to attend the 2024 Annual National Conference on July 14-16 in Boston. Scholarships will cover registration, airfare, hotels, and meals – Deadline to apply is May 10. Click here for more information.
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2023 Turnip the Beet Awardees
The USDA Turnip the Beet award program recognizes excellent summer meal programs. Congratulations to the 38 Texas awardees who received this award among 141 sponsors receiving the award nationwide! Awardees are recognized both nationally and statewide, including recognition at MegaCon 2024. Visit SquareMeals for a complete list of Texas awardees and click here to let us know about your plans for applying in Summer 2024!
Chef Ann Foundation - Bulk Milk Grant Applications are Open!
The Bulk Milk program helps schools transition to serve milk using bulk dispensers and reusable cups, instead of single-use containers. The Chef Ann Foundation is offering bulk milk grants to K-12 schools across the US - Deadline to apply is June 27. Click here to learn more and apply.
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MegaCon 2024 is Less than Two Weeks Away
This year TDA introduces a unique new pre-conference networking opportunity for MegaCon participants – volunteering at the Central Texas Food Bank for a half day! Click here to volunteer online. Connect with fellow attendees and TDA staff, give back to the community, and learn about the impactful work of the Central Texas Food Bank.
Visit SquareMeals.org for the latest agenda and more information.
Farm Fresh at MegaCon
TDA’s Farm Fresh team will have two sessions on May 15 at MegaCon this year. Farm Fresh Foundations will present an overview of the Texas Farm to School programs and important updates. The second session features a panel of child nutrition directors and Farm Fresh experts sharing how to get started with Farm Fresh activities. The panel will be followed by a roundtable session to answer your questions about Farm Fresh activities. Please submit any Farm Fresh MegaCon session questions you have here.
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Help TDA support Farm Fresh Programming by taking our short survey
TDA has created a short (5–10 minutes) survey for Farm Fresh programming. This year’s survey is less time-consumings. Respondents can remain anonymous. Please take a few minutes to complete the form here: Farm Fresh Survey ‘24
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ICN - Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) Sessions are Now Open! Register for Spring VILT sessions. Topics include preventing foodborne illness, Buy American, forecasting, infant meal pattern requirements, grain ounce equivalents, and more. Sessions fill quickly – Register today!
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User Administrators to review users in WBSCM
WBSCM user accounts should be reviewed by User Administrators by July 31 to avoid deactivation.Click the headline for more information.
As of April 30, processing transfer opportunities have concluded. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will conduct a redistribution of pounds for all processing accounts on June 30. Click the headline for details.
Food Receipting Updates
USDA recently released Revision 4 of FNS Instruction 709-5, Shipment and Receipt of USDA Foods. Click the headline for details.
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USDA Foods Ordering Updates
SY 2023-2024
Current participants for the DoD Fresh Program. Please remember to receipt in FFAVORS for each delivery within 7-calendar days from date of delivery.
• June 17-June 21 – No orders can be entered into FFAVORS after this week.
• June 24-June 28 – All final deliveries must be signed for and also receipted for in FFAVORS.
Unspent entitlement DOES NOT move forward into the new school year.
Non-Pilot Group – An avenue to spend down entitlement is to regularly check the TX-UNPS Delivery Order screen. Surplus cases draw down unspent entitlement dollars by selecting cases in the Surplus Order Qty. column. Delivery Order screen is closed for Forte Frozen and Central Texas Food Bank in an effort to complete inventory counts. New servicing, TDA Contracted Warehouse is transitioning to Gold Star Foods for PY 25.
TX-UNPS Weekly Commodity Bulletin - Positive entitlement value in the Processing Reserved Remaining field can be transferred over to Entitlement Remaining to help gauge total unspent dollars.
Pilot Group – The TDA Contracted Warehouse Gold Star Foods offers surplus cases through on-going “Advertisements” through their system. Should you have questions, please reach out to the NSLP coordinator at the warehouse or contact your Education Service Center for guidance.
SY 2024-2025
As of May 1, catalogs for Direct Delivery items are open in WBSCM for Round 2.
TDA will communicate the results of round 1 anticipated in early May, but no later than early June.
NEW DoD Fresh Program Participating School Districts, Private Schools, Charter Schools, and Residential Child-Care Institutions: Entitlement dollars and Campus data will be loaded into FFAVORS in June. Orders for the new school year can be placed as early as July 1, 2024.
Questions regarding USDA Foods? Please first contact your education service center for technical assistance or send emails directly to commodityoperations@texasagriculture.gov.
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TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
COMMISSIONER SID MILLER
This product was funded by USDA.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. |
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