USDA offers additional guidance and best practices for obtaining racial/ethnic data

Published: 2 days ago
" USDA has released a new policy memorandum that offers guidance to help Program operators comply with the Federal requirement to collect race and ethnicity data from Program participants. While TDA has a resource on the SFSP and CACFP Administration/Forms pages of SquareMeals that will assist in collecting this information, operators may utilize alternate or additional methods as described in this policy memo
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On Monday, August 26, 2024, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released memorandum CACFP 12-2024, SFSP 16-2024, Questions and Answers Related to CACFP 11-2021, SFSP 07-2021, Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program – Policy Rescission -Set 2.


This memorandum offers guidance to help Program operators comply with the Federal requirement to collect race and ethnicity data from Program participants. Remember that visual observation is not allowable to determine this information. While TDA has a resource on the SFSP and CACFP Administration/Forms pages that will assist in collecting this information, operators may utilize alternate or additional methods as described in this policy memo
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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
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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