Summary
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for recognizing program sponsors' nutrition efforts in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO).
Request for Comments
Written comments must be received on or before Nov. 23, 2026.
Comments may be submitted in writing by one of the following methods:
- Online (preferred): Go to Regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically; or
- Mail: Nancy Brenowitz, Community Meals Policy Division, Child Nutrition Programs, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will be a matter of public record.
Abstract
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO) were established to ensure that children and teens continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Turnip the Beet is a voluntary award initiative to recognize participating sponsoring organizations (program sponsors) that work hard to offer high quality, nutritious meals during the summer months.
The purpose of this voluntary recognition initiative is to encourage summer meal program sponsors to offer higher quality, nutritious meals that make a positive impact on children's healthy development. This information collection allows the Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) to more accurately assess the quality of meal service in order to determine whether the individual sponsor qualifies for recognition, and at what level.
The Turnip the Beet award is presented at three levels (bronze, silver, and gold) to sponsors providing meals that are appetizing, appealing, and nutritious. The award is open to all program sponsors across the nation who are in good standing, including SFSP sponsors and NSLP/SSO sponsors. All nominated sponsors must be in compliance with SFSP or NSLP/SSO regulations, as applicable.
The sponsor must complete and submit an application form and submit one-month menus for all meals served, to their summer meals state agency contact. Menus should provide sufficient detail to judge whether they meet award criteria; for example, a menu should describe whether fruits and vegetables are fresh, frozen, canned or dried, as well as identify whole grain-rich and local food items. Sponsors may choose to submit other supporting documents to further demonstrate the quality of their meals, such as news clips about the program, photos, testimonials, or invoices of local food purchases.
The nominations will be submitted to state agencies, which have the discretion to choose their internal submission due dates. The state agency contacts will ensure the sponsor: (1) participated in SFSP or SSO in the award year; (2) is in good standing with no major findings or all corrective actions are complete and implemented; (3) was not found seriously deficient in the past two years, at the time of the application, and has never been terminated from the summer meal programs; and (4) provided menus that meet meal pattern requirements. The state agency can also provide an optional statement of support for the applicant.
All applications must be forwarded by the state agency contact to their regional office at a set date following the program year. FNA will notify the winners in writing early the following calendar year. Depending on the award level attained, sponsors will receive a certificate from FNA and will be featured on the FNA website.
FNA estimates that the burden for this collection will increase from the burden in the last renewal. FNA estimates that the number of respondents submitting nominations will increase by 66 respondents for this revision, from 186 to 252 respondents. That in turn will increase the responses by 100, from 300 to 400 responses, and increase the burden hours by 75, from 225 to 300 hours.