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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: 
Frances N. O'Donnell, Coordinator
Date: 
Monday, November 15, 2010
Subject: 
Teacher Modeling in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)

In response to several inquiries, this memorandum provides guidance on the allowable consumption of FFVP fruits and vegetables by teachers.

USDA realizes that teachers can play a valuable role in modeling fruit and vegetable consumption. Therefore, they are allowing schools to allow teachers to consume fruits and vegetables as part of the FFVP under the following conditions:

  • Only teachers who are directly responsible for serving the fruit and/or vegetable to their students in a classroom setting may partake of the fruit and/or vegetable.
  • The program is not available to the general teacher population and other adults in the school.
  • Teachers choosing to participate with their students are strongly encouraged to include a nutrition education component to enhance their positive role modeling.
  • No additional FFVP funds will be provided. Schools must stay within their per student allocation.

Please note that this policy does not allow teacher or administrator fruit baskets, which were incorrectly purchased by some schools for promotional purposes when FFVP was first implemented.

This memorandum supersedes the policy set forth on this topic in the revised FFVP guidance manual published by USDA in August 2010. They will update the guidance manual and post the new version on the website soon.

Questions on the FFVP can be directed to Meghan Usher  at 518-473-8781. 

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.

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