W hat’s New with School Nutrition

1. What’s New withSchool Nutrition October 8, 2013

2. Welcome • Introductions • USDA Foods Update • Mailings • Program Reminders • Administrative Review • USDA Guidance Memos • Training Opportunities • Team Nutrition Grant Opportunities • Questions & Answers

3. Introductions • What’s New with the School Nutrition Team • Deb Wollin, SNS – Nutrition Program Consultant

4. School Year (SY) 2013-14 USDA Foods Entitlement Update • Wisconsin School Food Authorities (SFAs) receiving USDA Foods through participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) receive an entitlement dollar balance (“Program Year Entitlement”) that is to be spent towards the value of USDA Foods. • The Program Year Entitlement is to be determined by the annually published federal assistance rate multiplied by the SFA’s prior year’s total claimed reimbursable NSLP meals.

5. School Year (SY) 2013-14 USDA Foods Entitlement Update • SFAs are required to place their annual USDA Foods orders approximately six months in advance, during the annual USDA Foods ordering time frame. • Therefore, each SFA’s Program Year Entitlement is initially based on second preceding year NSLP meal count data. • In other words, the amount of Program Year Entitlement dollars that SFAs used to place the annual order for SY 2013-14 was based on SY 2011-2012 NSLP meal count data.

6. School Year (SY) 2013-14 USDA Foods Entitlement Update • Annually, after the prior year’s NSLP meal count data has been finalized, all SFAs’ Program Year Entitlement is updated to reflect this prior year data. • This process typically occurs at the end of October or beginning of November. However, preliminary School Year (SY) 2012-13 NSLP meal count data at a national level indicated global drop in NSLP meal counts. • Therefore, rather than wait until the October/November time frame, USDA made the decision to update all states’ SY 2012-13 NSLP meal count data and resulting SY 2013-14 USDA Foods entitlement data in August.

7. School Year (SY) 2013-14 USDA Foods Entitlement Update • Cumulatively, as a state, Wisconsin did experienced a significant drop in SY 2012-13 NSLP meal counts. • This meal count update resulted in a negative entitlement balance for the state of Wisconsin and therefore many SFAs for SY 2013-14. • In order to eliminate this negative entitlement balance, Wisconsin needed to adjust down SFAs’ SY 2013-14 USDA Foods order requests and cancel USDA Foods orders.

8. School Year (SY) 2013-14 USDA Foods Entitlement Update • The Wisconsin USDA Foods Section has completed the SY 2013-14 USDA Foods order adjustments to eliminate the SFAs’ negative entitlement balance. • Since USDA had already purchased Wisconsin USDA Foods orders for several months of SY 2013-14, the USDA Foods affected by this adjustment process were based on the USDA Foods orders still available for USDA cancellation/adjustment. • This means that not all brown-box USDA Foods (USDA Foods shipped directly from USDA) and not all bulk USDA Foods for further processing were affected by this adjustment process.

9. School Year (SY) 2013-14 USDA Foods Entitlement Update • Additional details regarding the adjustment process and USDA Foods affected can be found on the USDA Foods “Mailings and Notices” web-page at the following link: • http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_commoditymail

10. Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Update • DoD has entered into a contract with a new produce vendor, General Procurement Services (GPS), for the State of Wisconsin’s DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.  • Since DoD just recently awarded the contract, unfortunately GPS was still working on finalizing the details regarding the delivery schedule and specific delivery dates for each participating SFA. 

11. Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Update • In addition, Department of Public Instruction (DPI) was also made aware of delivery issues as SFAs place their produce order via the DoD ordering system, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Ordering System (FFAVORS).   • The delivery date chosen by SFAs in FFAVORS as they order is not accurate.  SFAs choose the delivery date in FFAVORS expecting the date would stay the same as they had in the past, however, GPS is setting up different delivery dates, therefore resulting in missed delivery days.  • Therefore, DPI had strongly advised that SFAs do not place any DoD orders, until the delivery issues are resolved. 

12. Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Update • GPS has resolved the delivery schedule issues. Therefore, DPI now encourages SFAs to resume DoD ordering. • Please continue to send complaints to the DoD customer liaisons: • Charlene Washington, charlene.h.washington@dla.mil,  (215 )737-2545 or • Brian Kern, Brian.Kern@dla.mil, (740) 415-6551 • When filing a complaint, please include your FFAVORS account number (i.e. YWI#) • Also, please send a copy of the complaint to the DPI contact person; Dino Ante, antonio.ante@dpi.wi.gov, as DPI continues to monitor the situation.   

13. Whole Wheat Flour (100410) Vendor Substitution • The USDA vendor that was to supply the 100410, whole wheat flour made a substitution and shipped all-purpose flour to the state of Wisconsin and not whole wheat flour, as ordered.  • The shipment received by this USDA vendor covers delivery orders from September 2013 – January 2014.  • Unfortunately, since the all-purpose flour has been shipped out to commercial distributors and to schools, there will not be replacement of the all-purpose flour to whole wheat flour.

14. Whole Wheat Flour (100410) Vendor Substitution • However, the DPI recognizes that some SFAs may be unable to use some or all of the all-purpose flour received.  • In this event, the DPI will provide entitlement value and handling charge credit for cases of all-purpose flour that your SFA is unable to utilize.  If your SFA is requesting credit, a credit form will need to be completed.  • A copy of the credit form was provided to all affected SFAs. • If your SFA needs another copy of this credit form, please contact: Laura Sime at laura.sime@dpi.wi.gov

15. Whole Wheat Flour (100410) Vendor Substitution • SFAs that are unable to utilize all cases received during these months are encouraged to transfer/donate to another SFA or outlet that can utilize the all-purpose flour.  In the event of transfer/donation, it  is NOT NECESSARY to inform the DPI of the transfer/donation details. • In order to receive credit, the credit form needs to be completed and returned by Thursday, October 31, 2013. • For SFAs that are unsure of how many cases that will be received by month of the whole wheat flour for September 2013 – January 2014, this information can be accessed from the Wisconsin USDA Foods Ordering System under Program Year 2014.  September 2013 and October 2013 case quantities can be accessed under the “Orders” tab.  November 2013 – January 2014 order data can be viewed under the “Adj.” column of the “Survey” tab data.

16. USDA Foods Contact Information • Laura Sime at laura.sime@dpi.wi.gov or (608) 267-9119 • Lynne Slack at lynne.slack@dpi.wi.gov or (608) 266-2596 • Dino Ante at antonio.ante@dpi.wi.gov or (608) 266-3615

17. The Federal Shutdown •  The USDA will continue to make funds available and pay reimbursement claims for all meals served prior to October 1, 2013. • DPI School Nutrition Staff have available funding and will be working through the month of October.  • USDA food deliveries: USDA has contracts with vendors that obligate them to perform and ship all food products purchased on time.  • Most materials have been purchased through December delivery. The food will not stop moving.  • For the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, the second allocation of funds for School Year 2013-2014 will be provided to States by FNS once the Federal government resumes operations.

18. The Federal Shutdown • Question:  Can households of furloughed employees be approved for free or reduced price school meal benefits?  Should they be removed from the program when the furlough is over?

19. Mailings • September 24, 2013 • Training Opportunities for the 2013-14 School Year • September 30, 2013 • School Food Authorities Scheduled to Receive an Administrative Review in the 2013-2014 School Year (SY) • September 30, 2013 • Verification (NSLP) SY 2013-14

20. Program Reminders • 2013-14 Contracts • August claim due Oct 30; Sept claim due November 29 • Direct Certification should have been run at least once • Annual Financial Report – was due August 30 • Civil Rights Compliance Self-Evaluation Form/Civil Rights training – on/before October 31 • FNS 10 – due November 1 • Paid Lunch Price Report – due November 1 • Verification Activities Completed –November 15 • Verification Collection Report – due February 1, 2014

21. Administrative Review • Consultants are starting to schedule the AR on-site reviews. • Documentation and Information may be requested prior to the on-site review. • For more information on what to expect on an AR and resources to help you prepare, the DPI website has a webpage dedicated to preparing for the AR located at http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_ar

22. USDA Guidance Memos • SP 56-2013 Collaboration with State School Business Officials on New Administrative Review Section: Resource Management • SP 58-2013 Paid Lunch Equity: Additional Guidance for School year 2013-2014 • SP 59-2013 Review of Provision 2/3 Base Year

23. Training Opportunities • http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_snt_training • Fall Training Opportunities • Menu Certification Workshops • Small Victories • Great Beginnings Academy • What’s New with School Nutrition • What’s New with School Nutrition webinars

24. Team Nutrition Grant Opportunities Learn more at: http://ne.dpi.wi.gov/ne_tngrant

25. Upcoming Team Nutrition Grants

26. Questions

27. Thanks for Participating • Next What’s Newwith School Nutrition • Tuesday, November 12, 2013

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