FD-152: Discontinuance of the High Security Seal Requirement for USDA Foods Deliveries

The United States Department of Agriculture’s 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. This change aligns with current industry standard practices, reducing barriers for vendor participation in the USDA Foods programs. Deliveries of USDA Foods that occur on and after July 1, 2023, will not be required to have a high security seal but will be required to have a tamper-evident commercial flat metal, wire, or plastic security seal. Recipients should continue to notify FNS of any instances of trucks that arrive without seals as directed in FNS Instruction 709-5. This memorandum serves as notification of these changes; conforming edits to FNS Instruction 709-5, Rev 3, “Shipment and Receipt of USDA Foods,” will follow.

State agencies should make recipient agencies or other consignees that receive shipments directly from a USDA-approved vendor aware of this change. State agencies should submit any questions to their respective FNS regional offices, which may in turn contact the Policy Division, Food Distribution Policy Branch.

Sara Olson
Director
Policy Division
Supplemental Nutrition and Safety Programs