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Nourishing News
May 2024 Updates
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Conference Attendance
Region 6 CN Specialists will be attending MegaCon, in Austin, May 13th-16th. While you may experience a delayed response in calls and emails, please know we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and we hope to see you there!
CACFP Updates
Consolidated Section 10000 of the CACFP Handbook
TDA has posted to SquareMeals.org an updated Section 10000, Serious Deficiency, of the CACFP Handbook. TDA consolidated content from all four current CACFP Handbooks (Child Care Center, Day Care Homes, Adult Day Care, and At-Risk). This section is now identical in all four handbooks.
Additional updates include:
-- Added new clarification about written notification procedures, specifically that Contracting Entities will be notified by email throughout the SD process if all responsible parties have email addresses within TX-UNPS. Consolidated redundant information about this topic into a new section.
-- Clarified that a sponsor’s disqualification does not necessarily exempt that sponsor’s sites from being placed in the serious deficiency process if TDA determines that the site’s egregious issues were not the result of lack of training or oversight by that sponsor.
-- Added the online link to request to be removed from the National Disqualified List.
Implementation Timeline for Updated Nutrition Requirements in CACFP & SFSP
It's important for providers and sponsors to understand all updates to the meal patterns in order to ensure they are in compliance. Most of the updates have a compliance date of July 1, 2024. However, two updates have an extended timeline for compliance of October 1, 2025, including the added sugar limits for breakfast cereals and yogurt as well as the ability for registered dieticians to write medical statements to request meal modifications on behalf of participants with disabilities.
New Online Form to Request Early Removal from the NDL and TEXSL
TDA has developed and released a new online form for disqualified operators wishing to be removed from the National Disqualified List and/or Texas Excluded SFSP List prior to the end of the required minimum seven years.
"And Justice for All" Poster - Updated Guidance
USDA has confirmed that there is no release date scheduled for new "And Justice for All" (AFJA) Civil Rights posters. All operators should use the 2019 version. Operators that no longer have the 2019 version can print the original 2019 version from SquareMeals or a slightly updated version from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website. Click the headline for details.
Excess Net Cash Resources Plan for CACFP and SFSP
TDA has released a new form for CACFP and SFSP operators that have exceeded the allowable amount of net cash resources to be maintained in the non-profit food service account at any given time (CACFP - 3 months' average expenditure, SFSP only - 1 month average expenditures). This form should be used for internal planning should net cash resources exceed the required limit. As applicable, operators may have to submit the spending plan to TDA in response to required corrective action. This form is available on both the CACFP and Summer Meal Programs Administration/Forms pages.
SFSP Updates
Help Texas Communities Get the Message with Summer Meal Programs Promotional Materials
The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has developed no-cost materials you can use to promote the availability of summer meals for families in need. Please visit the Summer Meal Programs page to order no-cost materials today! Also available are downloadable resources such as buttons and banners that can be used on websites and emails, and bookmarks and door hangers that can be printed out and distributed.
Updated SFSP Supplemental Handbook
TDA has posted to SquareMeals an updated SFSP Supplemental Handbook.
The SFSP Supplemental Handbook is located on the Summer Meal Programs Policy/Handbook page.
Extreme Heat/Air Quality Non-Congregate Waivers Available in Summer 2024
USDA has approved TDA's request to allow SFSP or SSO non-congregate service on days in which a Heat Advisory, Heat Warning, or Air Quality Index "purple" flag is issued. All operators must notify TDA via the Extreme Heat/Air Quality Non-Congregate Waiver Request form (updated version coming soon) and submit the form for each day that non-congregate meals were served. Click here for details.
Extension of Comment Period for Rural Non-Congregate Interim Final Rule
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service is extending the public comment period on the interim final rule, “Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal Programs,’’ which published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2023. This action extends the public comment period From April 29, 2024, to August 27, 2024, to give the public additional time to prepare and submit comments. Click here for details.
SFSP Sponsor Monitoring Form Prototypes
TDA has released new and revised SFSP Sponsor Monitoring Form prototypes, including the Pre-Operational Visit Form, the First Two Weeks Site Visit Form, and the Site Review Form (congregate and non-congregate versions). These forms were updated to include review questions for rural sites approved to operate non-congregate service in Summer 2024.
These forms can be found on the Summer Meal Programs Administration/Forms page on SquareMeals.org.
Upcoming Training Opportunities
MEGACON
The Texas Department of Agriculture proudly presents MEGACON 2024. One event where professionals working within federal food nutrition programs come together to learn, collaborate and inspire.
At MEGACON, you will see educational, networking, and policy sessions that pertain to the following federal nutrition programs:
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP)
- USDA Foods – Includes the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
- Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
Unless otherwise noted, all courses will be created by and led by staff from TDA's Food & Nutrition Division.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 08:00 AM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center, University Avenue, Austin, TX, USA
Child Nutrition Programs Final Rule: Updates to the CACFP & SFSP Meal Patterns
Join a webinar with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). USDA will provide an overview of the Final Rule: Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns to be Consistent with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and its impact to operators of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
May 16, 2024 @1:00 pm Central REGISTER HERE
CACFP LIVE: Creditable Infant Foods Session ID 546767
Information in this course comes from the Feeding Infants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program guide. Creditable Foods for Infants covers handling and preparing breastmilk, infant formula, and solid foods.
Details include information about the CACFP infant meal pattern, working with breastmilk and infant formula, bottle feeding, developmental readiness, and identifying creditable solid foods in the CACFP infant meal pattern. At the end of this lesson, participants should be able to describe how a baby's eating habits fit within the CACFP infant meal pattern.NOTE: This is a 4-hour course and the scheduled times are 9:00am-11:00am, then break for lunch and return from 12:30pm-2:30pm.
This will be the LAST CACFP LIVE course for PY 23-24. If you attended any of the trainings registered under Region 6, your name will be entered into a drawing for a giveaway! You will receive the same number of entries as the number of courses you attended. Winner will be notified by email. Thanks and Good Luck!
Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 09:00 AM
Zoom
CACFP Training on SquareMeals.org
CACFP Training on squaremeals.org has been updated. There are course options from TDA, links to ESC LIVE, and courses offered by The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN). Visit https://squaremeals.org/FandN-Resources/Training/CACFP-Training for details.
Join Free Training Webinars from the Institute of Child Nutrition
The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) offers free trainings on a broad range of topics for child nutrition professionals working in school nutrition and child care settings.
Don't miss these upcoming webinars:
- May 21, 2024: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Webinar - Clean and Clear: Enhancing Water Quality in the CACFP
- May 30, 2024: School Nutrition Strategies, Trainings, Action Plans, and Resources (STAR) Webinar - Inventory Management: Strategies for Tracking and Controlling Costs
- June 6, 2024: Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition (CICN) Webinar - A Crash Course in Using the Food Buying Guide
Can't make it to a live webinar? View past webinars and learn anytime, anywhere on ICN's online learning management system, iLearn.
Resources
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.