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Resource | Policy Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods

The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any USDA Child Nutrition Program, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program for Children , Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option , of the many ways they can purchase local foods to serve in program meals.

05/06/2025
Resource | Factsheets Food Safety Information and Resources for the Farm to School Community

This fact sheet outlines a number of additional resources for those seeking to directly purchase or raise food products for school nutrition programs.

08/29/2023
Resource | Factsheets Food Safety Frequently Asked Questions

"Food Safety Frequently Asked Questions: The Food Safety Modernization Act and its Impact on Farm to School Activities": This document includes common questions related to food safety when purchasing locally grown and raised food products directly from producers as well as food safety considerations for edible campus gardens.

08/29/2023
Resource | Technical Assistance Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs

The Food Buying Guide for child nutrition programs has all of the current information in one manual to help you and your purchasing agent buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for your program(s), and determine the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.

07/11/2022
Resource | Policy Memos Questions and Answers Regarding the 2022 Infant Formula Shortage in the CACFP

The ongoing infant formula shortage due to supply chain issues, which worsened due to a major formula recall in February 2022, has left many CACFP operators concerned about access to formula and their options for safely feeding infants in their care.  

 

06/17/2022
Resource Child Nutrition Programs Income Eligibility Guidelines (2021-22)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk for the period from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

03/04/2021
Resource | Policy Value of USDA Donated Foods for Audits: Revised

The purpose of this audit guidance policy memorandum is to clarify the options available to state distributing agencies or recipient agencies in assigning value to USDA donated foods for audit purposes.

12/02/2016
Resource | Policy Memos Transmission of Household Income Information by Tier II Family Day Care Homes in the CACFP

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance on the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

04/07/2011
Resource | Policy Annual Physical Inventory-Reconciliation of Book Inventory to Physical Inventory

This general USDA Foods guidance memorandum provides instructions on how to reconcile the physical inventory conducted at a distributing agency- or subdistributing agency-level storage facility with the book inventory required to be maintained for that facility.

06/15/2006
Page updated: October 14, 2021