All the most current resources you need to successfully operate the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program are available here. TDA keeps this page updated with any new policy updates and news, including the following:
- Handbook release notices with update summaries
- Form release notices
- Brand new policy updates that haven’t yet been updated within the handbooks
- FAQs and other resources, as required
Please bookmark this page and check back periodically.
August 28, 2024 - RELEASE: CSFP/TEFAP Equipment Inventory Form
Per federal regulation and the program agreements, Contracting Entities (CEs) must maintain an inventory of all program equipment and reconcile it via a physical inventory review at least once every two years. TDA has developed an Equipment Inventory resource tool that includes all of the federally required elements that must be tracked for each piece of equipment. During the CE's scheduled administrative review, this form or a similar version created by the CE will be reviewed. The form is located on both the CSFP and TEFAP Administration/Forms pages of SquareMeals.
July 26, 2024 - RELEASE: Multiple CSFP Handbook Sections
Sections of the CSFP Handbook were revised for clarity and to reflect the most recent policy guidance. Significant revisions to content and guidance are noted under the section name below.
Section 2, Program Application
- Edit to clarify TX-UNPS is used for CE application and claim processing and not ordering.
- Edit to clarify that only new CEs need to sign a permanent agreement with TDA during the initial application process.
Section 3, Managing the Program
- Added that a Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights must be provided to all participants and applicants at all sites, the required elements of the Notice, the options for providing the Notice, and the requirement that CEs’ written application procedures must describe how the CE will provide the Notice to participants and applicants.
Section 5, Visits, Reviews, and Audits
- Edit to correct a broken link in a footnote for the item describing how to determine the value of USDA Foods for audit purposes.
Section 9, Terms, Definitions, and Acronyms
- Edit to clarify definition of resident.
- Edit to remove reference to ordering in definition of TX-UNPS.
If you downloaded and saved a copy of the CSFP Handbook or any section(s) on your computer, delete and replace them with a downloaded copy of the revised section(s) or revised handbook in its entirety.
July 22, 2024 - RELEASE: Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights and Related Forms
In accordance with 7 CFR Part 16.4(c)(1), all organizations administering CSFP must provide a written notice to all beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries of certain protections in a manner and form prescribed by Policy Memorandum FD-155, which can be found at https://www.fns.usda.gov/usda-foods/csfp-tefap-beneficiary-notice-referral-requirements.
In accordance with this rule, TDA has published the new Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights on the CSFP Administration/Forms pages of SquareMeals. This notice must be distributed at all CSFP sites and to all participants in those Programs via one or more of the following methods:
- Provide CSFP applicants with the Written Notice at the time of application.
- Incorporate the required notification language from the Written Notice into existing CSFP applications or other materials that are provided to beneficiaries before the receipt of services.
- To notify beneficiaries already enrolled in the program, a written notice must be provided directly to all beneficiaries at food distribution locations or alongside a food package delivery. Existing beneficiaries should all be notified as soon as possible.
References to the written notice have also been added to updated versions of the following forms:
- H1516 CSFP Participant Rights and Responsibilities
- H1504 CSFP Participant Application and Application Instructions
- CSFP Written Notification Checklist
June 28, 2024 - RELEASE: Written Notification to Participants Checklist (NEW!)
A new Written Notification to Participants Checklist has been posted to the CSFP Administration/Forms page on SquareMeals (https://squaremeals.org/Programs/Commodity-Supplemental-Food-Program/Administration-Forms). This new tool includes a useful summary of all notification requirements that CSFP Contracting Entities must follow when notifying participants about eligibility, discontinuance of service, denial of service, and any changes to certification status.
June 28, 2024 - RELEASE: Updated Application Notification Form (H1515)
Form H1515 - Application Notification Form and associated instructions have been updated and posted to the CSFP Administration/Forms page on SquareMeals (https://squaremeals.org/Programs/Commodity-Supplemental-Food-Program/Administration-Forms). The form was updated to include fields for effective dates of denial or discontinuance of participation. The list of reasons for denial or discontinuance was also updated to align with regulatory language.
June 28, 2024 - RELEASE: Updated Agreement Templates for CSFP and TEFAP
After review, the Permanent Agreement forms for both TEFAP and CSFP, specifically the agreements between TDA and CSFP/TEFAP Contracting Entities, and the agreements between Contracting Entities and Subdistributing Agencies, have been updated for clarity and alignment with those respective programs' regulatory language. The updates are not substantive and do not reflect any new regulatory responsibilities. All updated form templates are posted on the TEFAP and CSFP Administration/Forms pages, as applicable.
May 23, 2024 - RELEASE: Updated H1503 CSFP Site Information Form
A revised H1503 CSFP Site Information Form has been updated with a more recent Contracting Entity list. The form can be found on the CSFP Administration/Forms page (https://squaremeals.org/Programs/Commodity-Supplemental-Food-Program/Administration-Forms).
February 9, 2024 - New Income Eligibility Guidelines posted
The new 2024 Income Eligibility Guidelines for the Elderly (Form H1666) for CSFP has been posted and released. The form and instructions can be accessed on SquareMeals at: http://www.squaremeals.org/Programs/CommoditySupplementalFoodProgram/CSFPAdministrationForms.aspx in the CSFP Forms table.
Please replace any previous versions of the form that you may have saved.
The IEGs are also posted to the Income Eligibility Guidelines page on SquareMeals: https://squaremeals.org/FandN-Resources/Income-Eligibility-Guidelines