January 12, 2022 - Returning Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Contracting Entities (CEs) for SFSP program year 2022 may enter in the site applications no more than the amount listed on the Maximum Approvable ADP list. The Maximum ADP list provides the maximum approvable ADP for the site by meal type for SFSP 2022. Click the link in the title to find the list at the bottom of the next page. The list is used to determine the maximum ADP for each site.
January 1, 2022 - Schools with 50% or more of the enrolled children eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program should submit their intent to operate Summer Meal Programs for summer 2022 or submit a mandate waiver request in TX-UNPS by the January 31, 2022 deadline.
January 1, 2022 - A revised ARM Section 18, Food Service Contracts was posted to SquareMeals.
January 1, 2022 - USDA’s Team Nutrition initiative is excited to announce the release of the Meal Components web quiz. This quiz is now available and focuses on meal components and meal pattern requirements for all Child Nutrition Programs.
January 1, 2022 - The updated Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs is now available to order in print from Team Nutrition. This resource provides State and local school nutrition professionals a comprehensive guide to all Professional Standards topics.
January 1, 2022 - New features are now available on the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool (PSTTT). With the new update, users can now record trainings for past school years.
January 1, 2022 - The U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Title VI Interagency Working Group (IWG) – Limited English Proficiency Committee has developed a new tool to improve access to websites and digital platforms for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP): Improving Access to Public Websites and Digital Services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Persons
January 1, 2022 - Team Nutrition is excited to announce that users can now view the meal pattern requirements per meal component for a selected Program and age/grade group while using the FBG calculator. This feature allows for easy access to helpful meal pattern guidance to assist in creating shopping lists.
January 1, 2022 - TDA will begin a full transition to the User Access Manager for all entities and will retire the FND-101 form in Spring of 2022.
December 15, 2021 - TDA is submitting to USDA a request to allow elementary schools participating in FFVP to utilize up to 20% of their awarded funds (including the currently approved allocation of 10% for administrative costs) to hire part time staff to assist with administering the program.
December 1, 2021 - CEs that operate more than one site are required to conduct onsite reviews. Click for more information.
December 1, 2021 - CEs must report verification results in the School Food Authority (SFA) Verification Collection Report, FNS-742 by February 1, 2022.
December 1, 2021 - TDA released a new Food Service Management Company (FSMC) Monitoring Form that includes updated guidance and monitoring questions.
December 1, 2021 - USDA continues to offer flexibilities in response to public health needs and to ease administrative burden, while still promoting nutritious meals. FNS has updated their resources to include additional information related to procurement and supply chain issues.
December 1, 2021 - TDA has developed the Monthly Record of Meal Pattern Deviations Due to COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions Form, in which CEs can document instances during the COVID-19 pandemic when required food components were unavailable due to supply chain disruptions.
December 1, 2021 - Review entity users to ensure proper security groups align with their role and responsibilities.
October 27, 2021 - Benefit issuances for school year 2020-21 P-EBT wrapped up in October with over $3.9 billion dollars provided to 3.8 million Texas children. Summer P-EBT benefits will be issued to eligible children starting in late November. A Texas state plan for school year 2021-22 P-EBT is currently in development. For the most up to date information, click here.
October 27, 2021 - Congratulations on completing another year of the Texas Department of Agriculture's Farm Fresh Challenge. All schools that wish to earn recognition must complete their attestation form no later than 11/15/2021. Submit your attestation form here!
October 27, 2021 - It is time to plan for School Breakfast Week (SBW) 2022, March 7-11th. TDA materials feature the theme Feed Your Creativity with a Healthy School Breakfast and artwork inspired by the winning entries from the You Art What You Eat student art contest. Click here for more information about SBW 2022, to order promotional materials, and more digital resources.
October 27, 2021 - The menu calendar templates for school year 2022-2023 are now available! This year's theme is "Get Yourself in Gear with a Healthy School Meal" and each English and Spanish template features a fun character who incorporates food into an everyday activity! Click here to visit the Resources page and access the templates.
October 27, 2021 - The Texas Department of Agriculture's (TDA) You Art What You Eat art contest offers Texas students a chance to earn statewide recognition for their artwork. Click here for more information about the contest, to order promotional materials, and to submit an entry.
October 27, 2021 - TDA has released a new notification form for schools operating SSO during an unanticipated school closure. While no approval is required to operate SSO during an unanticipated school closure, completion of the notification form is required.
October 27, 2021 - As schools work toward resuming regular operations, USDA continues to offer flexibilities in response to public health needs and to ease administrative burden, while still promoting nutritious meals.
October 27, 2021 - USDA Memo SP 01-2022, CACFP 01-2022, Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Programs Emergency Procurement Due to Supply Chain Disruptions, provides clarification on questions related to Child Nutrition Programs' use of emergency procurements due to supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19.
October 27, 2021 - Team Nutrition Schools can now order free printed copies of new Stronger with School Meals educational materials. These materials celebrate how school meals, and the school nutrition professionals that provide them, help students stay strong physically (through good nutrition) and mentally (through the sharing of mealtimes in person or virtually).
October 27, 2021 - Professional Standards training reward badges are a fun way to promote training and recognize staff who have completed training. School nutrition professionals can earn badges by completing training in any of the key areas: Nutrition, Operations, Administration, or Communication/Marketing.
October 27, 2021 - TDA has created a new electronic form H4529.1 – Authorization to Transfer USDA Foods for Further Processing. This form is used to request TDA approval to transfer USDA Foods for further processing in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). New instructions and resources are available by clicking here.
October 27, 2021 - Texas Legislation requires school districts to participate in a summer meal program if 50% or more of the enrolled children are eligible to receive free/reduced price NSLP meal based on the March 2021 claim.
October 27, 2021 - All CEs are required to complete the report. Click the headline for more information!
October 27, 2021 - Due to recent Congressional action, flexibility allowing low-fat, flavored milk in the NSLP and SBP is now effective through December 3, 2021. This provides additional flexibility in planning school breakfast and lunch menus but does not require schools to make any menu changes.
October 27, 2021 - USDA’s Team Nutrition initiative is proud to announce the release of the English and Spanish-language Toddler Nutrition web quizzes. Quizzes on Infant Nutrition (English and Spanish) and School Lunch are also available, with additional quizzes coming this fall and winter.
October 27, 2021 - USDA has provided updated guidance for spending USDA Foods entitlement in school year 2021-2022.
Updated September 30, 2021 - Due to the impacts of COVID-19, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will not be taking “And Justice For All..." (AJFA) poster orders through TX-UNPS and will not be distributing posters to contracting entities (CE). Locally printed paper copies AJFA posters may substituted as necessary.
September 30, 2021 - On May 14, 2013, TDA issued a Pre-portioned Fruit Cup Crediting supplement memo regarding crediting of 4-ounce fruit cups. That supplement is being rescinded with updated guidance and an accompanying TDA-issued memo.
July 28, 2021 - The School Nutrition Program (SNP) site applications must be submitted and approved as a prerequisite for SSO application processing. SSO sites submitted for approval will be returned for correction if there are no SNP site applications in submitted and/or approved status.
The Texas Department of Agriculture has received some waivers from USDA to support the continued operation of meal service in response to coronavirus. Other waivers are not yet approved. Any information regarding USDA waivers related to meal service will be available at SquareMeals.org/coronavirus along with further instructions.
November 16, 2020 - ACTION REQUIRED: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service recently updated its Civil Rights webpage resulting in changes to the internal hyperlinks within the Nondiscrimination Statement (NDS) as well as the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form. If you have not done so already, please update the electronic versions of the NDS with the English and/or Spanish versions. These changes were required to be completed no later than January 31, 2021.