|
1. |
How does USDA support meal service in
Schools/Child Nutrition (CN) Programs? |
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2. |
What type of commodity support does USDA give
the school lunch program? |
|
3. |
What type of commodity support does USDA give
to Other Child Nutrition Programs? |
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4. |
What types of food are available to States for Schools/Child
Nutrition Commodity
Programs? |
|
5. |
How are bonus commodities distributed to these programs? |
|
6. |
Who
should I contact for more information about Schools/Child Nutrition
Commodity
Programs?
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ANSWERS |
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1. How does USDA support meal
service in Schools/CN Programs?
The
USDA's Schools/Child Nutrition Commodity Programs support American
agricultural producers by providing cash reimbursements for meals
served in schools, but also by providing nutritious, USDA-purchased
food to the following nutrition programs:
• National School Lunch Program; • Child and
Adult Care Food Program; and the • Summer Food Service
Program
Donated commodities must be of domestic origin, and
nearly 60 percent of the foods purchased for the Schools/ Child
Nutrition Programs must be determined by the Department to be in
surplus at the time of purchase. |
2. What type of commodity support
does USDA give the school lunch program?
In school year 2007, schools participating in the National School
Lunch Program (NSLP) will receive commodity foods, called
"entitlement" foods, at a value of 16.75 cents for each lunch
served. Schools can also get "bonus" commodities, as they are
available through USDA’s price support and surplus removal programs.
USDA does not provide commodity foods through the School Breakfast
Program.
The Food Distribution Division of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS) coordinates the distribution of commodities to many of the
more than 94,000 public and private nonprofit schools that provide
meals to students.
While schools receive 16.75 cents worth of commodity foods per meal
for school year 2007, the entitlement amount varies from year to
year based on an annual adjustment to reflect changes in the Price
Index of Foods Used in Schools and Institutions. Benefits delivered
in past years are listed below:
Entitlement
and Commodity Benefits: |
Year |
Cents
per meal |
$ Value
(millions) |
Pounds
(millions) |
SY 06* SY 05
SY 04 SY 03 |
17.50 17.25
15.75 15.25 |
$834 $839
$823 $846 |
1,101 1,050
1,121 1,276
|
* Preliminary |
|
3. What type
of commodity support does USDA give to Other Child Nutrition
Programs?
(a) Child and Adult Care Food
Program: FNS’s Food Distribution Division distributes commodities to
ensure that children and adults in approved day care centers receive
nutritious meals and snacks. Institutions have the option of
receiving cash in lieu of commodities for the CACFP, and most now do
so. Less than 20 percent of childcare centers now request
commodities.
The level of assistance for lunches and suppers served by CACFP is
the same as the rate for school lunches—i.e., 16.75 cents per meal.
CACFP
Commodity Benefits:
|
Year |
$ Value
(millions) |
Pounds
(millions) |
SY 06*
SY 05
SY 04
SY 03 |
$1.8
$2.6
$2.9
$1.5 |
2.1
2.7
2.8
2.1
|
*Preliminary |
(b) Summer Food Service Program
(SFSP). FNS distributes commodities to SFSP sites serving needy
children during summer vacations from school.
These sites include schools, colleges and universities participating
in the National Youth Sports Program, nonprofit summer camps for
migrant children, and centers for homeless children.
For meals prepared on-site, providers receive 1.5 cents per meal in
commodity entitlement.
SFSP Commodity
Benefits:
|
Year |
$
Value
(millions) |
Pounds
(millions) |
FY 06*
FY 05
FY 04
FY 03 |
$.8
$.9
$1.2
$1.3 |
2.2
1.6
1.4
2.2
|
*Preliminary |
|
4. What types of food are available to States for
Schools/ Child Nutrition Commodity Programs?
States select a wide variety of entitlement foods for their schools,
child and adult care centers, family day care centers, and summer
program sites from a list of more than 100 different kinds of
products.
Foods Available in SY 2007 for the Schools/ Child Nutrition
Commodity Programs include fruits and vegetables; meats; cheese or
dry and canned beans; fruit juices; vegetable shortening and
vegetable oils; peanut products; rice, cheese, pasta product, flour
and other grain products.
|
5. How are bonus commodities distributed to these
programs?
Bonus foods are considered those over and above entitlement foods.
They are offered periodically, but only as they become available
through agricultural surpluses. They are then offered to States on a
fair-share basis, and do not count against a State’s regular
entitlement dollars.
The type and quantity of bonus commodities distributed by USDA in a
given year is dictated by agricultural surpluses and market
conditions. Bonus products donated in previous years include:
-
Dehydrated Potatoes
-
Can
Sweet Potatoes
-
Canned Pineapples
|
-
Dried Beans
-
Frozen Cherries
|
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6. Who should I contact for more information
about Schools/Child Nutrition Commodity Programs?
Since these programs are administered at the State level, we
suggest that you contact your State distributing agency for more
information about the commodities distributed to schools and
institutions participating in these programs in your state. A list
of the State Contacts may be found on our website at
www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/contacts/sdacontacts.htm.
You may also visit our Food Distribution Program web site at:
www.fns.usda.gov/fdd, or
E-mail us at:
fdd-psb@fns.usda.gov. You may email your commodity complaints to
us at:
CommodityComplaints@fns.usda.gov or visit our Commodity
Complaint website at:
www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/complaints/. |