Nutrition Services Division Management Bulletin |
|
| Purpose: Policy | |
To: U.S. Department of Agriculture Recipient Agencies |
Number: NSD-FDP-02-2012 |
Attention: Food Service Directors |
Date: October 2012 |
Subject: Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Entitlement |
|
This Management Bulletin (MB) provides information and guidance regarding the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (DoD) entitlement effective July 1, 2012. The Food Distribution Program (FDP) is implementing a new policy to ensure all of California’s DoD entitlement is expended each school year.
Agencies that order DoD produce must use 50 percent of their DoD entitlement by March 31 and their full DoD entitlement by May 1 of each year.
The FDP will monitor DoD spending throughout the school year. Agencies that have not spent at least 50 percent of their DoD entitlement between July 1 and March 31 may have their remaining balance reduced to 50 percent of their initial entitlement with the excess entitlement transferred to a state account. Agencies that have not fully spent their DoD entitlement by May 1 may have their remaining DoD balances moved to the state account. Once DoD entitlement moves to the state account, the FDP will make it available for all agencies to use.
For example: XYZ School District (XYZSD) allocates $5,000 dollars of DoD entitlement for School Year 2012–13. Between July 1, 2012, and March 31, 2013, XYZSD needs to use $2,500 or 50 percent of their entitlement. However, XYZSD only uses $2,000 dollars between July 1, 2012, and March 31, 2013. On April 1, 2013, $500 dollars may be moved into a state account due to non-use. By May 1, XYZSD’s DoD entitlement balance is $50. The remaining $50 dollars may be moved to the state account due to non-use.
We recommend that you spend your DoD entitlement funds as soon as possible in order to have the opportunity to order a wider variety of fruits and vegetables. These funds may only be used to purchase domestically grown food items such as fruits and vegetables.
If you have any questions regarding this MB, please contact Amy Bell, Child Nutrition Consultant, Food Distribution Program, by phone at 916-322-5051 or by email at abell@cde.ca.gov; or Sherry Tam, Child Nutrition Consultant, Food Distribution Program, by phone at 916-324-9875 or by email at stam@cde.ca.gov.