This memorandum informs stakeholders on the progress made by FNS in updating the food crediting system for all child nutrition programs. This is a first step towards improving the crediting system to best address today’s evolving food and nutrition environment and meet the needs of those operating and benefiting from the CNPs.
On Dec. 1, 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration published the final rule, Food Labeling; Calorie Labeling of Articles of Food in Vending Machines, in the Federal Register.
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide state agencies and child nutrition program operators, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program, with additional information and clarification on the administrative review process regarding the child nutrition label, watermarked CN label, and manufacturer’s product formulation statement.
The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify that a Child Nutrition (CN) Label copied with a marking referred to as a “watermark” is acceptable documentation for an Administrative Review.
School food authorities should include a copy of the label from the purchased product package in addition to the following information on letterhead signed by an official company representative.
Attached for your use is a prototype Performance Work Statement, Evaluation Criteria and Performance Metrics document to assist state agencies that wish to procure a contract(s) to perform the performance-based reimbursement certification and other training activities to support the Certification of Compliance With Meal Requirements for the National School Lunch Program Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 Interim Rule and the new meal pattern final rule.
As of Jan. 18, 2010, the operation of the Child Nutrition Label Program shifts from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to the Agricultural Marketing Service Processed Products Branch.
Prior to production All CN labels must be approved in FINAL by AMS (& FSIS or NMFS if applicable).
The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Specialty Crops Program, Specialty Crops Inspection Division performs CN Label review services and charges a fee for each CN label reviewed.
The changes in this interim rule are primarily designed to improve Program operations and monitoring at the state and institution levels and, where possible, to streamline and simplify Program requirements for state agencies and institutions.