FNS Documents & Resources

The purpose of this memo is to revise obligation and liquidation deadlines for the Fiscal Year 2019 Trade Mitigation Program ERA Operational Funds, which were provided for phases 2-4 of the FY 2019 Trade Mitigation Food Purchase and Distribution Program, now referred to as the Food Purchase Distribution Program (FPDP).

This memorandum provides information on current flexibilities in distribution procedures that are available for state agencies that administer TEFAP. 

This memorandum implements requirements under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 and provides guidance to TEFAP state agencies on best practices to minimize food waste of privately donated foods provided to TEFAP state agencies and eligible recipient agencies. 

Section 4104 of the Farm Bill directs USDA to issue guidance to promote awareness of donations of apparently wholesome food by qualified direct donors protected under section 22(c) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. This guidance only applies to privately donated foods provided to TEFAP state agencies and eligible recipient agencies  and is not applicable to USDA Foods provided through TEFAP.

This memorandum addresses inventory limitations and requirements that USDA Foods processors must follow when manufacturing processed end products for use in child nutrition programs.

This instruction establishes the general standards and procedures that the state distributing agency, Indian Tribal Organization, or other consignee must follow in receiving shipments of USDA Foods, and conveys established responsibilities for other entities such as USDA Foods vendors and carriers.

Under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA is administering a Trade Mitigation Food Purchase and Distribution Program to purchase up to $1.2 billion in USDA Foods. The bulk of this food is being distributed through TEFAP, which is USDA’s primary outlet for foods purchased through market support mechanisms. 

In order to update and streamline policy guidance for the USDA Foods Processing Program, FNS is cancelling policy memoranda FD-009, FD-025, FD-130, FD-102, FD-030, FD-038, FD-048, FD-103, and FD-108. The guidance provided by these memoranda is outdated and has been superseded by the Final Rule: Revisions and Clarifications in Requirements for the Processing of Donated Foods, which was published on May 1, 2018.

Under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the USDA is administering a Trade Mitigation Food Purchase and Distribution Program to purchase up to $1.2 billion in USDA Foods.

This memorandum is meant to provide clarification and guidance on policies and procedures for donated food storage and distribution as they relate to product dating.