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Resource | Policy Memos FD-152: Discontinuance of the High Security Seal Requirement for USDA Foods Deliveries

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will discontinue the requirement for vendors to use high security seals to secure USDA Foods deliveries as of July 1, 2023. 

04/05/2023
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0007 Revised Guidance for Use of Vendor/Private Staff in Call Centers: 2020 Update

Building on best practices to date and consistent with USDA’s efforts to improve customer service and increase state flexibility within the bounds of the law, while continuing to encourage states as laboratories of innovation, FNS is once again expanding allowable activities for states seeking to use vendor/private staff in call centers

02/06/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0029 Management of Donated Food Inventories at Processors

This memorandum addresses inventory limitations and requirements that USDA Foods processors must follow when manufacturing processed end products for use in child nutrition programs.

FD-064
04/02/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0023 Issues with Application Materials Submission Instructions

On Oct. 6, 2017, we issued a memo regarding SNAP applicants and households who are sending certification materials to the USDA instead of the appropriate SNAP state agency for processing.

03/13/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0004 Flexibility for the Administrative Review Cycle Requirement

In school year 2013-14, FNS introduced the unified administrative review and a 3-year review cycle. Since then, FNS has received feedback about the difficulties of the shorter review cycle, both for the state agencies conducting the reviews, and for school food authorities preparing for and responding to reviews.

SP12-2019
02/22/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0065 Revised Non-Merit System Personnel Guidance for Call Centers

Consistent with USDA's efforts to increase state flexibility within the bounds of the law, FNS is expanding allowable activities for states seeking to use non-merit system personnel in call centers. With FNS approval, states may now use non-merit personnel to provide basic case-specific information that is readily available in the system to a SNAP applicant or participant, such as application or case status, benefit issuance date, and status of submitted verifications. 

12/19/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0064 Donated Food Storage, Distribution, and Product Dating

This memorandum is meant to provide clarification and guidance on policies and procedures for donated food storage and distribution as they relate to product dating.

FD-107
11/21/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0060 SNAP - Issues with Certification Materials Submission Instructions

This memo discusses SNAP applications and other documents being sent by clients to the USDA Office of Civil Rights instead of the appropriate state SNAP office. The memo outlines best practices states can use to make submission instructions clearer for clients.

10/11/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0026 2017 Edition: Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge - Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools

This is the 2017 Edition of Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge: Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools. This best practice guide is designed to support state agencies and local program operators in their efforts to find workable solutions to the challenge of unpaid meal charges.

SP29-2017
05/10/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0013 Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&As

This question and answer memorandum is designed to provide an overview of policies related to unpaid meal charges and to address common questions FNS has received from state agencies, school food authorities, and local program operators.

SP23-2017
03/23/2017
Page updated: October 14, 2021