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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

Office of P-20 Education Policy
Child Nutrition Program Administration
89 Washington Avenue, Room 375 EBA, Albany, NY 12234
Phone: (518) 473-8781 Fax: (518) 473-0018
To: 
School Food Service Directors/Managers
From: 
Child Nutrition Program Administration
Date: 
Friday, November 3, 2023
Subject: 
Crediting Traditional Indigenous Foods in Child Nutrition Programs

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. It includes an updated and expanded list of traditional Indigenous foods, such as beaked hazelnuts, steamed lambsquarters, and wild raspberries, that credit the same as similar foods currently included in the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG).

This memorandum is part of an effort to promote serving traditional Indigenous Foods in Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) and will also be housed on the previously released Serving Traditional Indigenous Foods in Child Nutrition Programs webpage. The FBG was updated in May 2023 with the addition of traditional Indigenous foods similar to foods already included in the FBG.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

  1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
  2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
  3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

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