School Breakfast Program
USDA Waiver Request
The New York State Education Department has requested State-level waiver authority from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve the following operational flexibilities that may be needed to provide meals to students during Ramadan. Once authorized, SED will provide guidance to school food authorities on requesting and using these waivers.
Wayne Farms, LLC, Recalls RTE Chicken Products
On December 7, 2023, Wayne Farms, LLC, of Decatur, Alabama, recalled approximately 1,377 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken breast products that may be undercooked. This recall does
CDC Food Safety Alert: Cantaloupes
For your awareness, a CDC food safety alert regarding an outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to cantaloupes has been updated. Seven children attended childcare centers before they got sick. Children under 5 can get very sick from Salmonella.
Crediting Traditional Indigenous Foods
FNS is pleased to release TA 01-2024: Crediting Traditional Indigenous Foods in Child Nutrition Programs. This memorandum is now available at https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/crediting-traditional-indigenous-foods and supersedes TA 01-2015: Child Nutrition Programs and Traditional Foods.
Allowable Flexibilities for School Meal Programs Experiencing Milk Supply Shortages
Due to the unexpected nationwide shortage of paper milk cartons, many School Food Authorities (SFAs) are not able to obtain milk in half pints for their school meals programs. Although SFAs are expected to meet the fluid milk requirements to the greatest extent possible, supply chain disruptions, including disruptions that limit milk variety or affect serving size, are considered a temporary emergency condition. In these instances, SFAs are allowed to serve and claim meals during the emergency period by:
USDA: Allowable Flexibilities for Child Nutrition Programs Experiencing Milk Supply Shortages
Fourth Allocation of SCA Funds
School Food Authorities (SFA) can now request additional Supply Chain Assistance Funds (SCA) from the New York State Education Department (NYSED). These funds are being provided to address supply chain disruptions and support the purchase of food for school meals. A total of $77,444,791 will be distributed. This amount consists of the remaining amount from the 2022-2023 distribution, and additional funding provided for the 2023-2024 school year.
Expansion of Community Eligibility Provision in NYS
Applications Were Due December 15, 2023, for 2023-2024 mid-year election
The New York State Education Department, Office of Child Nutrition, hosted a webinar on October 16, 2023 from 1pm to 2pm to discuss the expansion of the Community Eligibility Provision.
Initial Implementation: Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule
On August 23, 2023, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the Child Nutrition Program Integrity final rule. This final rule aims to help USDA and state administering agencies reduce program errors of all types, resulting in more efficient operations and improved compliance with program requirements.
USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Final Rule
USDA has released the Final Rule: Child Nutrition Programs - CEP Increasing Options for Schools. This final rule amends the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) regulations by lowering the minimum identified student percentage (ISP) from 40 percent to 25 percent.