This memorandum provides follow up information to my letter dated July 1, 2004, sent to the SFSP director of each state agency that is eligible to participate in the Simplified Summer Food Program beginning Jan. 1, 2005.
Eating whole grain products has long been advocated by health and nutrition experts. We encourage school food authorities to inquire about the availability of whole grain products when developing product specifications and making their procurement plans next year.
Regarding awarding contracts, state agencies are advised to carefully review school district to ensure they are in compliance with federal regulations and take appropriate actions.
As described in our Reauthorization Implementation Memo SP 4, Categorical Eligibility for Free Lunches and Breakfasts of Runaway, Homeless, and Migrant Youth, runaway youth served through grant programs established under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act are now categorically eligible for free meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.
Section 102 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 amended the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act by removing the requirement that schools participating in the National School Lunch Program offer students a variety of fluid milk consistent with prior year preferences.
This memorandum is in response to questions raised by the Connecticut state agency.
This memorandum supplements our Reauthorization Implementation Memo SP 4 by providing additional information on identifying migrant children and on the procedures that school food authorities and local education agencies should use to coordinate with the Migrant Education Program in order to document the categorical eligibility of migrant children for free meals.
Authorized by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), the prescription drug discount card provides Medicare beneficiaries with negotiated prices that should be lower than the regular price of prescription drugs.
The Reauthorization Act of 2004 contains several requirements regarding irradiated USDA commodity product that we want to bring to your attention.
Section 107 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 amended the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to make runaway, homeless and migrant children categorically eligible for free meal benefits under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and is effective July 1, 2004.