Processor
USDA Foods Processing
The USDA Foods in Schools program supports domestic nutrition programs and American agricultural producers through purchases of 100% American-grown and -produced foods for use by schools and institutions. USDA Foods are available to child nutrition programs in three ways: direct delivery, USDA Foods Processing, and the USDA DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
USDA Foods Processing allows State Distributing Agencies and eligible Recipient Agencies, such as school districts, to contract with commercial food processors to convert raw bulk USDA Foods into more convenient, ready-to-use end products.
National Processing Agreement
Below is guidance and information for State Distributing Agencies, eligible Recipient Agencies, and commercial processors regarding the review and approval of a USDA National Processing Agreement (NPA).
Current USDA Foods processors operating under an NPA can find additional information and resources on the USDA Foods National Processing Community PartnerWeb site.
For more information, or if you do not yet have access to this site, please contact NPA@usda.gov.
In-State Processing Agreement
In addition to multi-state processors who have National Processing Agreements, USDA Foods Processing includes in-state processors who are based in and operate exclusively within the state and have an agreement with their State Distributing Agency. For more information, please contact your State Distributing Agency.
Foods Commonly Purchased
The USDA Foods Available List outlines the USDA Foods that are available or expected to be purchased through each program. Items highlighted in yellow are bulk for further processing. The list is subject to change based on market availability.
If your product is not yet being purchased by USDA, please review the following guidelines to determine if your product meets the minimum criteria for consideration.