Nourishing News
October 2023
WELCOME TO PY 24!!!
You should have submitted your application by September 30th to participate in PY 24. If your application was submitted BUT returned, please be sure to make any corrections and resubmit.
December 1, 2023 ALL CACFP renewing CEs must have an approvable application submitted; CACFP renewing CEs whose applications that cannot be approved as submitted as of the mentioned December date will not be eligible for claim reimbursement for the month of October 2023.
Documentation Submission:
» You may upload your supporting documentation directly to TXUNPS via the CACFP application packet in the Checklist Section. Documents must be uploaded in PDF format.
» Any documentation/information not provided as part of the application packet in TX-UNPS should be submitted via CACFP.BOps@TexasAgriculture.gov .
Claim Processing Days - Tuesday and Thursday
The internal cut-off time for claim submission on processing days is noon (12 p.m.). Our team will process all claims submitted before the 12 p.m. deadline on the processing day. This deadline will ensure staff have the adequate time to review your submission before sending your payment to the Comptroller. Claim submissions received after the deadline will be processed on the next processing day.
CACFP Updates
Updated Guidance on the Infant Meal Pattern
USDA issued memo CACFP 11-2023, Feeding Infants and Meal Pattern Requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program; Questions and Answers. This revision incorporates updated breastmilk storage recommendations, infant formula food safety considerations, and information on crediting grains in ounce equivalents. The updated guidance incorporates updated recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and guidance from the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), including recommendations for children under 2 years of age. This memo supersedes the previous memo guidance from CACFP 02-2018; most changes reflect non-substantive, additional clarification and not changes to requirements. Click here to read more.
Eagle Produce Whole Cantaloupe
Eagle Produce LLC Scottsdale, AZ is initiating a voluntary recall of 6,456 cases of whole cantaloupe with the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella following a test conducted on cantaloupe in a distribution center by the FDA. Please click here for recall notice.
New Food Yields Added to the Food Buying Guide
New yields are now available in the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-based (FBG) Tool and FBG Mobile App! New yield data is available for: individually quick-frozen (IQF) black beans, IQF pinto beans, roasted soybeans, roasted chickpeas, fresh oranges, grape tomatoes, and ready-to-use diced and sliced onions. Stay tuned for additional yield data releases coming soon. Explore the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs today at https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-for-child-nutrition-programs!
SFSP Updates
PY 23 Summer Cost Report due date
Agriculture Code, Title 2, §12.0029 mandates school districts to offer a summer nutrition program if 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. All costs for operating the summer nutrition programs must be reported even if the costs were $0. If your school district received a mandate to participate in a summer nutrition program in 2023 and did not receive a waiver, then you are required to submit a summer cost report to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). TDA reports this information to the Texas Legislature and identifies all school districts that failed to satisfy the requirements of this section.
CAD’s will be issued to each of the CE’s who do not meet the October 9, 2023 Deadline.
Additional information can be accessed at Texas Summer Mandate on www.squaremeals.org.
Updated Guidance on Meal Service during an Unanticipated School Closure
TDA has received several waivers and additional guidance about the options schools have to serve meals should an unexpected event close a school. If an unanticipated school closure occurs, schools will have the option of serving non-congregate summer meals (SSO or SFSP) if the closure occurs during October through April, non-congregate CACFP At-risk meals at any time in the school year, or non-congregate NSLP/SBP at any time of the school year if virtual instruction is occurring.
Upcoming Training Opportunities
Food Service Management Company Renewal: step-by-step guide
Texas Department of Agriculture hopes you can join them for this webinar:
- Food Service Management Company Renewal: step-by-step guide
- October 5, 2023, 1:00-2:30 pm (Central Time) – Register here.
Disclaimer:
These webinars are for Contracting Entities only. If Food Service Management Companies attend this webinar, they will be disqualified from submitting proposals.
Registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Thursday, Oct 5, 2023, 01:00 PM
Click the buttons below to register for Oct classes
ICN Virtual Training Opportunities
Monday, October 16, 2023
Food Safety in Child Care, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Monday, November 13, 2023
Basic Culinary Math, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Monday, December 4, 2023
Financial Management for Managers, 8 a.m. -– 12 p.m.
Register HERE
More Upcoming Virtual Events from the National CACFP Sponsors Association
HACCP Food Safety Writing, Updating, & Revising A HACCP-Based Food Safety Plan For Schools
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is an internationally recognized method of identifying and managing food safety-related risk and, when central to an active food safety program, can provide your customers, the public, and regulatory agencies assurance that a food safety program is well managed. HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement, and handling, to manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of the finished product.
Important Session Information:
This is a 20 hour in person workshop on November 7th, 8th & 9th.
Registration will close on October 23rd.The Institute of Child Nutrition is very excited to have you join us for the Writing, Revising, and Updating a HACCP-Based Food Safety Plan for Schools Workshop! To get the most out of this workshop, we ask that you bring your current HACCP food safety plan if you have one, your menus, and any supporting documents. If possible, please bring a laptop so you can work on your food safety plan.
Tuesday, Nov 7, 2023, 08:00 AM
3332 Montgomery Road, Huntsville, TX, USA
Resources
Guide to Professional Standards in Spanish
The Spanish translation of the Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs is now available online. The Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs comprehensively outlines the USDA Professional Standards requirements for state and local school nutrition professionals who manage and operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Access the Spanish-translated Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs here.
Huntsville, TX 77340
936-435-8244
This guidance is not considered all inclusive.
Please see www.squaremeals.org for further guidance.
Note: If TDA makes changes to the website, direct links in this announcement may become void.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. This program is funded by USDA.