Tuesday Morning - August 25, 2020 An Update on Federal and State Policy Issuesfrom SNATable of ContentsCOVID-19 Policy Updates USDA Unwilling to Extend SFSP/SSO Waivers Beyond September 30 Rep. David Trone and MD Delegation Sends Letter to USDA Requesting Extension of Waivers Reps. Salud Carbajal and Don Bacon Send Letter to USDA on the Extension of SFSP and SSO Waivers Federal Policy Federal Register: Notification of CFAP Funding Availability for CFAP and Additional Commodities Federal Register: USDA Issues Correction to Final Rule for CFAP Deadline Approaches for School Districts to Apply for CEP for the 2020-21 SY State Snapshots New Jersey Proposes Bill Condemning Proposed Rule to Limit Categorical Eligibility Virginia Creates Resolution to Recognize the Need for School Meals During Closures Mark Your Calendars Upcoming SNA Webinar Mystery Chat Corner COVID-19 Policy Updates USDA Unwilling to Extend SFSP/SSO Waivers Beyond September 30 On Thursday, August 20, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the extension of four nationwide waivers through September 30, 2020. Then, in a letter to Congressional leaders, US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue asserted that extending Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option waivers through the 2020-21 school year is "beyond what USDA currently has the authority to implement and would be closer to a universal school meals program which Congress has not authorized and funded."Below are the waivers USDA extended through September 30th: Nationwide Waiver to Allow Non-congregate Feeding in the Summer Food Service Program – EXTENSION 3 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Summer Food Service Program – EXTENSION 6 Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers – EXTENSION Nationwide Waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children – EXTENSION 3 Since COVID-19 school closures, SNA has advocated on members' behalf, urging USDA to extend waivers to preserve the sustainability of school meal programs. In addition to calling on USDA for regulatory flexibility, SNA has also urged Congress to provide much needed funding. SNA continues to push for waiver extensions and is communicating with Congressional leaders and USDA regarding Friday’s letter. You can get involved by visiting SNA’s Action Network (schoolnutrition.org/takeaction) to write to your legislators today! Back to the top Reps. David Trone and MD Delegation Send Letter to USDA Requesting Extension of Waivers On August 14, 2020, U.S. Representative David Trone (MD-06), along with a majority of the congressional delegation from Maryland, sent a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue. This letter requests the extension of the following USDA waiver programs for the 2020-21 school year: Area Eligibility Waiver, Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) Waivers, After school Activity Waiver, Unexpected School Closures Waiver, and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Parent Pick-Up Waiver. Read the full letter. Back to the top Reps. Salud Carbajal and Don Bacon Send Letter to USDA on the Extension of SFSP and SSO Waivers On August 18, 2020, U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Don Bacon (NE-2), along with 14 other military veterans in Congress, sent a bipartisan letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue. This letter requests that USDA renew waivers enabling the continued implementation of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), while also waiving the Area Eligibility Requirement in those programs, throughout the national emergency declaration during the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full letter. Back to the top School nutrition staff at Monticello Central School District in Sullivan County, New York, have served 158,804 meals to Monticello students since schools closed in March due to COVID-19. Federal PolicyFederal Register: Notification of CFAP Funding Availability for CFAP and Additional Commodities On August 14, 2020, the USDA issued the Federal Register notice, “Notification of Funding Availability; Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) Additional Eligible Commodities.” The CFAP helps agricultural producers impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. This notice announces that commodities that have been determined eligible for CFAP assistance and funding are now available. Back to the top Federal Register: USDA Issues Correction to Final Rule for CFAP On August 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued the Federal Register notice, “Coronavirus Food Assistance Program; Correction.” The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) aids agricultural producers impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. This correction is related to the final rule issued on May 21, 2020 and specifies the eligibility requirements and payment calculations for the CFAP. Back to the top Deadline Approaches for School Districts to Apply for CEP for the 2020-21 School Year As unemployment and enrollment in programs like SNAP have risen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more school districts are now eligible to implement community eligibility for the 2020-21 school year. With this increase in eligibility, more schools can reassess the number of students who qualify and their financial viability of adopting Community Eligibility. The deadline for school districts to opt into Community Eligibility for the 2020-21 school year is August 31, 2020. Check out the Food Research & Action Center's (FRAC) list of schools in your state that are eligible but not currently participating in CEP. Visit the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) website on CEP for more information. Back to the top State Snapshots New Jersey Proposes Bill Condemning Proposed Rule to Limit Categorical Eligibility SCR 127 condemns the Trump Administration's proposed rule limiting categorical eligibility for SNAP; specifically, this proposed rule may reduce the number of students that qualify for free or reduced-price meals through categorical eligibility. Back to the top Virginia Creates Resolution to Recognize the Need for School Meals During Closures SR 524 acknowledges the number of children in the community dependent on schools for breakfast and lunch. In addition, this bill recognizes Human Food RVA, a small business operating from the Hatch Kitchen RVA shared kitchen that has helped ensure that students displaced by school closures have had nutritious food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Back to the top Mark Your Calendars Upcoming SNA Webinar You've heard it all: hybrid, virtual, staggered education schedules. But how do you ensure that school nutrition is an integral part of the education day? Register for this week’s Back to School Webinar and learn more about navigate the various scenarios expected this upcoming school year. Plus, register for additional webinar opportunities in the fall! If you missed a particular webinar, catch up with SNA’s on-demand webinars. Make School Nutrition an Integral Part of the Education Day, with any Academic Schedule Thursday, August 27, 2020, 3:00 PM ET During this SNA webinar, recommendations will be shared for scenario planning for various school feeding models. Plus, look for valuable extras for SY 2020-21, including menu templates, recommended best practices and a sneak peek into upcoming initiatives from your professional association. Back to the top Mystery Chat Corner On August 25, 1985, which New York Met became the youngest pitcher to win 20 games? A: Dwight Goodin Back to the top