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.
USDA Food and Nutrition Service policy memo SP 26-2013, "Extending Flexibility in the Meat/Meat Alternate and Grains Maximums for School Year 2013-14" extends the flexibility regarding Meat/Meat Alternate (M/MA) maximums for SY 2013-13, allowing state agencies to assess compliance based on the minimum daily and weekly serving requirements only.
The purpose of this policy memorandum is to clarify the responsibilities of the state administering agency and the state distributing agency with respect to ensuring compliance with requirements for donated foods in the National School Lunch Program, the Summer Food Service Program and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
FD-060, Use of Donated Foods in the NSLP and Other Child Nutrition Programs (dated June 21, 2006) is cancelled.
In this memorandum, we present several options for consideration by the distributing agency to help ensure that service institutions receive donated foods for use in the summer meals provided in SFSP in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
FDD has received several complaints recently about dried fruit and grain products that became infested in storage. Therefore, it is imperative that dried fruit and grain products are distributed to the end user as soon as possible after receipt from the vendor to avoid problems with infestation.