In response to the advocacy efforts of ASBO International and our coalition partners including AASA The School Superintendents Association, School Nutrition Association, Urban School Food Alliance, and others - USDA has recognized the significant supply chain challenges school districts have been experiencing nationwide. Today, USDA announced it will invest $3 billion in agriculture, animal health, and nutrition programs, including $1.5 billion to provide assistance to help schools respond to supply chain disruptions.
Please find an excerpt below and read the full press release here.
Up to $1.5 billion to provide assistance to help schools respond to supply chain disruptions. Throughout the pandemic, school food professionals have met extraordinary challenges to ensure every child can get the food they need to learn, grow and thrive. But circumstances in local communities remain unpredictable, and supply chains for food and labor have been stressed and at times disrupted. These funds will support procurement of agricultural commodities and enable USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to enhance the toolbox for school nutrition professionals working hard to make sure students have reliable access to healthy meals. Today's announcement builds on the range of work that USDA has been doing to identify ongoing issues school districts face during this difficult time and provide the resources, tools and flexibility they need to serve students healthy and nutritious meals.
Thank you to ASBO International's Legislative Advisory Committee (LAC) and all other members who have helped us advocate on this issue, we appreciate your leadership and hope this additional aid will provide much-needed relief to states, districts, and schools as they feed students throughout the school year.
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ASBO USA
asbousa@asbointl.org------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 10:33
From: ASBO USA
Subject: USDA waiver re: school food supply chain issues
To assist states and school districts with navigating food supply chain issues during the COVID-19 emergency, USDA Food and Nutrition Services announced the following flexibility is now available:
Waiver to Allow Fiscal Action Flexibility for Meal Pattern Violations Related to COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions Impacting School Meals in School Year 2021-2022
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is granting a waiver of certain fiscal action requirements in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). This waiver is available for any state where there is a supply chain disruption with respect to foods served under such a qualified program and such disruption is due to COVID–19. FNS is also extending this flexibility to the NSLP Seamless Summer Option (SSO) for the duration of this waiver.
FNS is granting a waiver, for all states, for the following regulations when there is a supply chain disruption with respect to foods served under the NSLP, SBP, or SSO and such disruption is due to COVID–19:
1) The requirement to apply fiscal action for missing food components or missing production records as detailed in 7 CFR 210.18(l)(2)(i); and
2) The requirement to apply fiscal action for repeated violations involving milk type and vegetable subgroups as detailed in 7 CFR 210.18(l)(2)(ii).
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ASBO USA
asbousa@asbointl.org
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