Skip to main content

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: 
Paula Tyner-Doyle, Coordinator
Date: 
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Subject: 
Developing a School Food Safety Program based on the Process Approach to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Principles

Please click on the following link for a copy of USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS’s) Guidance for School Food Authorities Developing a School Food Safety Program Based on the Process Approach to HACCP Principles. USDA is in the process of mailing copies to all school food authorities (SFAs) within the next couple of weeks.

FNS developed this guidance to help school food authorities (SFAs) comply with the food safety program requirement established by section 111 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-265). To comply with the law, SFAs may either implement this guidance or establish and implement their own food safety management system that includes prerequisite programs for operations and sanitation (Standard Operating Procedures) and all of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles before the end of School Year 2005-2006. SFAs that do not use the guidance must consult with us to ensure their food safety program meets all requirements.

We encourage you to start working on your food safety program as soon as possible.

USDA plans to formally implement this guidance via the rulemaking process; however, any food safety management system that includes Standard Operating Procedures and all of the HACCP principles will continue to be permitted.

The guidance provides step-by-step instructions for developing a food safety program based on HACCP principles, and includes a sample plan and prototypes of useful recordkeeping forms. It will help you develop practical and effective food safety programs that meet the needs and capabilities of different types of foodservice operations. The guidance was written with input from State and local officials; food safety regulators; and collaborators from the food safety community.

USDA is doing everything it can to help you succeed in implementing your food safety program. They are working with the National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI) to make HACCP training and educational materials available to State agencies and SFAs. They are also working with NFSMI and the Food Safety Inspection Service to ensure that their telephone hotlines are able to answer general questions about HACCP. After SFAs have had operational experience with the HACCP requirement, USDA will assess the need for additional training and materials, and for updating the HACCP guidance. 

If you have questions about the enclosed guidance or the food safety provision, please contact Elizabeth Lattanzio, Gerardo Cioffi or Michele Bottachiari at 518- 402-3620. For general information about HACCP, you may call the hotline at the Food Safety Inspection Service (1-888-MPHotline or 1-888-674-6854) or the NFSMI Help Desk (1-800-321-3054).

Thank you for dedication to the health and safety of the Nation’s school children.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Click here for Nondiscrimination Statement translations.

Top