This guidance describes $1 billion being provided by FNS to enhance local school districts’ ability to purchase foods for school meals by offering resources needed to address supply chain challenges directly to schools and school districts.
To help schools deal with supply chain challenges brought on by the pandemic, USDA is providing up to: $1 billion in Supply Chain Assistance funds for schools to purchase food for their meal programs, $300 million for states to purchase USDA Foods to distribute to schools, and $200 million for cooperative agreements to purchase local foods for schools, focusing on historically underused producers.
A summary of the procedures related to requesting a no-cost extension for a Farm to School Grant.
These resources provide information about meal components and meal pattern requirements for child nutrition programs.
The 2023 Farm to School Census will collect and synthesize data from a national census of school food authorities to better understand the characteristics of SFAs participating in farm to school and the scope and details of the activities they engage in ( e.g., local food procurement, gardening, agriculture education).
To support a successful school reopening in school year 2021-2022, and to promote afterschool and child care, FNS is releasing a new suite of waivers and flexibilities to increase funding, support access, and balance operational needs with the goal of providing nutritious meals:
USDA Foods in Schools product information sheets containing USDA Foods description and WBSCM ID for grains.
This resource describes best practices for storing fresh produce for school nutrition program operators. It includes temperature information, as well as an example of produce storage best practices in a walk-in refrigerator.
FNS has used its authority under FFRCA to waive certain onsite monitoring requirements for the school meals programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, so that programs can to maintain program integrity and support social distancing while providing meals.
Project summaries for the 29 TEFAP state agencies that received fiscal year 2022 Farm to Food Bank project funding.