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Responsibility to Request Food Safety Inspections

EO Guidance Document #
FNS-GD-2008-0051
FNS Document #
SP39-2008
Resource type
Policy Memos
Guidance Documents
Resource Materials
PDF Icon Policy Memo (70.15 KB)
DATE:September 19, 2008
MEMO POLICY:SP39-2008
SUBJECT:Responsibility to Request Food Safety Inspections
TO:Special Nutrition Programs
All Regions
State Agencies
Child Nutrition Programs
All States

A number of schools nationwide are still having difficulty obtaining the two food safety inspections required by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. Although the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) realizes that many of the difficulties schools face are beyond their control, we would like to stress that local program operators are responsible for requesting the food safety inspections from the public health department and documenting their efforts. Program reviews will examine a school’s efforts to comply with this statutory requirement.

FNS encourages state agencies to continue their dialogue with the state and local authorities responsible for food safety inspections. FNS will continue at the federal level to promote inter-agency cooperation to protect the safety of school meals served under the child nutrition programs.

Thank you for your continued efforts to ensure compliance with this important provision of the National School Lunch Act.

CYNTHIA LONG
Director
Child Nutrition Division

Page updated: January 10, 2024

The contents of this guidance document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.