Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

DoD Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program

Information regarding Department of Defense fresh produce available to participants of the National School Lunch Program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a contract with the Department of Defense (DoD), Defense Supply Office (DSO) to provide fresh produce to recipient agencies. The Department of Defense Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Project is a service that allows agencies to use a portion of their entitlement money to order fresh fruits and vegetables.

Entitlement Spending

Warehouse agencies order selected seasonal DoD produce through the allocation process. Agencies are charged a service and handling fee for every case of produce delivered through the State Distribution Center.

State Co-op members order and receive produce directly from the DoD as needed and a $0.15 administrative fee is assessed by the State for each case of produce delivered. In instances where the DoD cannot provide direct delivery, State Co-op members order selected seasonal DoD produce through the pre-planner. Members are charged a service and handling fee of $2.85 for each case of produce delivered through the State Distribution Center.

Private Co-ops and direct ship agencies order domestically grown fresh fruits and vegetables directly from the DoD as needed. A private distributor delivers DoD produce to each agency. A $0.15 administrative fee is assessed by the State for each case of produce delivered.

DoD Fact Sheets
DoD Offering Schedule/List
External Food Service Personnel and Educators

USDA DoD Program Information External link opens in new window or tab.
Information on the DoD Program from the USDA.

Contacts

California Department of Education
Food Distribution Program Customer Service
Phone: 916-324-7132
Email: FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov

California Defense Supply Office Customer Service
Genaro Cordova
Phone: 559-267-3993
Email: genaro.cordova@dla.mil

Questions:   Food Distribution Program | 916-324-7132
Last Reviewed: Thursday, April 3, 2025
Related Content
  • Food Distribution
    Information about United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food commodities, Department of Defense (DoD) fresh produce, distribution centers, and processing of USDA Foods.
Recently Posted in Nutrition
  • DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Reminders (added 03-Nov-2025)
    Management Bulletin FDP-01-2025: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Entitlement Request Process Change and Reminders – Revised
  • 2025 KIT Grant & Retention & Recruitment Grant (added 30-Oct-2025)
    The 2025 KIT Grant competitively awards funding to SFAs to improve the quality of meals served through the NSLP & SBP. The Retention & Recruitment Grant competitively awards funding to support the retention and recruitment of food service staff.
  • Hormel Foods Recalls Ready-To-Eat Chicken Products (added 29-Oct-2025)
    Hormel Foods Corporation Recalls Ready-To-Eat Frozen Chicken Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination.
  • M.C.I. Foods Recalls Breakfast Burritos & Wraps (added 23-Oct-2025)
    M.C.I. Foods, Inc. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Breakfast Burrito and Wrap Products Due to Possible Listeria Contamination.
  • LMS Account Setup & Site Overview Webinars (added 21-Oct-2025)
    This new Learning Management System (LMS) will be the primary venue for delivering training content and to satisfy annual mandatory training hours. These webinars will assist with account setup and overview of the site.

  • Webinar: Tuesdays @ 2 School Nutrition Town Hall (added 21-Oct-2025)
    School Nutrition Town Hall webinar for School Nutrition Program Operators and Food Service Directors.
  • New Legislation Regarding Ultraprocessed Food (added 13-Oct-2025)
    This page announces the signing of Assembly Bill (AB) 1264 and announces a webinar that provides an overview of AB 1264, explores implementation strategies, and presents current research and policy approaches to reduce UPF consumption among students.
  • LMS Account Setup & Site Overview Webinars (added 13-Oct-2025)
    This new learning management system will be used as the primary venue for delivering training content to satisfy your annual mandatory training hours for Professional Standards and beyond.
  • October Celebrations 2025 (added 08-Oct-2025)
    Encouragement for program operators to participate in any of the following special occasions: National Farm to School Month, California Crunch Day, National School Lunch Week, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and National Farmer Day.
  • SUN Bucks Reminder - EDCS Data Accuracy (added 08-Oct-2025)
    Reminder about ensuring data accuracy in Education Data Collection System (EDCS) submissions.