National School Lunch Program

Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program receive entitlement funds based on meal participation. These entitlement dollars are used to order USDA foods. If your school does not currently participate in the NSLP, contact the New York State Education Department at 518-473-8781 to begin the process.

All new food service directors in a school that currently participates in NSLP should email [email protected] to inform OGS Food Distribution of your new status. Be sure to include your school code and phone number. OGS Food Distribution will email you the tools and guidance needed to access WBSCM and order your USDA foods.

OGS Food Distribution will send you guidance on:

• Setting your account up in the Web-Based Supply Chain Management system (WBSCM)
• USDA Foods available to order
• Order by dates

Additional Information

• Overview of USDA Foods in Schools presented by OGS Food Distribution
• Recorded Version of Presentation is Available
• NSLP USDA Product Information Sheets
• USDA Whitepaper, February 2016

download timeline

Key Terms

July - Beginning of School Year (July 1st)

• Attend the Managing Your Child Nutrition Program Training hosted by NYSED.
• Brown Box - Email your school calendar to your distributor.
• DoD Fresh - 12-month School Districts begin.
• Pilot - 12-month School Districts begin.
• SFSP - begins (July 1^st – September 30^th).
   

August

• Run Requisition Status Report in WBSCM to review USDA Foods orders.
• Contact OGS if your Food Service Director or contact information has changed.
• Processing - Review K12 & ProcessorLink to ensure pound and distributors are correct.
• Brown Box - Your distributor will email you the annual delivery schedule.
   

September

• Run the Entitlement/Bonus Summary Report in WBSCM to view current Entitlement balance.
• Run a Requisition Status Report in WBSCM and compare against your distributor’s weekly report.
• Brown Box - Products will begin arriving at your distributor and to your school district.
• Processing - Review K12 & ProcessorLink to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month)
• SFSP - ends September 30^th.
   

October

• Run the Entitlement/Bonus Summary Report in WBSCM to view current Entitlement balance.
• Attend NYSNA Annual Conference.
• Processing - Review K12 & PL websites to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month).
• Processing - Start thinking about the procurement process for next school year.
   

November

• Attend Regional Industry Seminars (RIS) in your region hosted by NYSNA.
• Processing - Start procurement process for processors for next school year.
• Processing - Review K12 & PL websites to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month).
   

December

• Attend Regional Industry Seminars (RIS) in your region hosted by NYSNA.
• Processing - Procurement for processors should be in place for next school year.
• Processing - Review K12 & PL websites to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month).
• Processing - Voluntary USDA Diversion (Processing) Sweep.
   

January

• Brown Box - Food Preference Survey (mandatory) – Submit response.
• Processing - Mandatory Sweep (Must be at 40% usage or more).
• Processing - Review K12 & PL websites to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month).
   

February – Ordering USDA Foods

• Brown Box – Submit your district’s order for next school year.
• Processing - Brown Box – Submit your district’s order for next school year.
• Processing - Review K12 & PL websites to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month).
   

March

• Processing - Review K12 & PL websites to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month).
   

April

• Attend the ACDA Annual Conference.
• Brown Box - Redistribution Deadline (TBD in April).
  
  Review the Requisition Status Report in WBSCM and your distributors weekly report to determine if you need to request to redistribute products you cannot accept delivery of by the first week of June.
  Redistribution requests must be submitted by the deadline (TBD in April)
   
• Processing - Review K12 & PL websites to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month).
• DoD Fresh – Submit allocation for next school year.
• Pilot – Submit allocation for next school year.
  
  Once OGS submits Brown Box and Processing orders to USDA, you will receive an email allowing school districts to allocate entitlement to DoD Fresh and Pilot for next school year.
   

May

• Brown Box - Communicate and finalize a schedule for delivery of all remaining products to your school district by the first week of June.
• Processing - Review K12 & PL websites to ensure pounds are being utilized (recommended 10% per month).
   

June – End of the School year (June 30^th)

Assessment Fee information will be gathered and emailed to schools in July (if applicable)

• Brown Box - Delivery deadline is the first week of June. All remaining products must be delivered to your school district.
• Processing - Mandatory Sweep (All unused lbs. will be swept)
• Reporting for Business Offices (End of June)
  • Run the Value of Commodities Received Report in WBSCM
    • Provides
      • Value of Brown Box.
      • Value of Processing.
  • Run the Usage Report in FFAVORS
    • Provides
    • Value of USDA DoD Fresh

School Year 2024-2025 

USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box) & USDA Direct Diversion (Processing) ordering for the 2024-2025 School Year opens February 12, 2024.

• USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box) Ordering Worksheet
• USDA Direct Diversion (Processing) Ordering Worksheet
• Kosher Coop Ordering Worksheet

Please submit all USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box) and USDA Direct Diversion (Processing) orders in WBSCM by close of business March 8, 2024.

Available Ordering Training

• OGS's Ordering Worksheets Training
  • USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box) Ordering Worksheet Training
  • USDA Direct Delivery (Kosher Brown Box) Ordering Worksheet Training
• OGS’s Ordering Worksheet Training Guide Printouts
  • USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box) Ordering Worksheet Guide
  • USDA Direct Delivery (Kosher Brown Box) Ordering Worksheet Guide
• Ordering USDA Foods Help Session Webinars
  • Dates/Times
    • Wednesdays
      • 9:00 am to 11:00 am
      • 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
    • Fridays
      • 9:00 am to 11:00 am
      • 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
  • Register for Sessions Here 
• Starting this year, ordering training will be provided by your School Lunch Advisory Council (SLAC) representative. 
• OGS will be hosting webinars to assist with the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) website. 
  • Processing Ship TO Materials 
• Visit the Training & Resources section and search for "Ordering" for online training. USDA product information is available via the USDA Foods Database.

Important Changes/Notes:

• Allocations to the USDA DoD Fresh and/or USDA Pilot Programs will not occur until after OGS has submitted USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box) and USDA Direct Diversion (Processing) orders to the USDA. In April, your district will receive an email from our office asking for the allocation request to load your beginning allocation for the 2024-2025 school year.
• All Advance Pierre beef, pork and peanut butter commodities as well as Bosco cheese items are now listed under Tyson Prepared Foods on the first tab of the diversion worksheet.

How to Order USDA Foods

Ordering USDA Foods for next school year occurs in February and March, after the Food Preference Survey in January.

The General Ordering Process

1. Participate in USDA Food Ordering Training.
You will receive communication about training opportunities leading up to and throughout the ordering period.

2. Ordering Begins.
Once ordering opens, you will receive communication from OGS with the Ordering Worksheets and any updates.

Complete the Ordering Worksheet(s).

Once ordering opens, you will receive communication from OGS. Before you submit your order, you must first complete OGS’s Ordering Worksheets. These are meant to assist you with planning and submitting your order.

3. Log in to the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM).

Once you’ve completed the ordering worksheet(s), you must place your order in WBSCM.

4. USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box & Kosher Brown Box).

Use the USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box & Kosher Brown Box) Ordering Worksheet, along with your planned menu, and records from previous school years to submit your order.

When all the orders are collected, OGS works through a process to determine the best way to submit the orders to USDA.

Due to these requirements, your orders may be adjusted in quantity or consolidated into a different delivery period. If these criteria cannot be met, the order must be cancelled.

Note: This includes all brown box products. I.e., non-kosher, commercial Kosher, and Kosher products for the Kosher Co-op (Area H).

5. USDA Direct Diversion (Processing) – Area’s A, C, D, E, F, G, J, K, W only.

Use the USDA Direct Diversion (Processing) Ordering Worksheet, along with your planned menu, and records from previous school years to submit your order.

If your order is cancelled, a second limited ordering period will occur (dates TBD) to allow schools the opportunity to reorder to the correct processor or select a different material.

If NY has enough carry-over pounds, your order may be cancelled, and pounds allocated to your district in K12 and ProcessorLink.

You will receive an email if you are impacted by cancellations.

6. Submit Orders

Once you submit your orders, log into WBSCM and run the Requisition Status Report for your records.

Your orders are likely to change after being submitted as OGS works through the process of submitting orders to USDA.

7. Ordering Closes

Orders for USDA Direct Delivery (Brown Box & Kosher Brown Box) are due by the due date provided by OGS. Orders will not be accepted after this date. No exceptions.

8. After Ordering: USDA DoD Fresh Program.

Allocations for USDA DoD Fresh program will not be processed during the ordering period. OGS will solicit your school district for your beginning allocation to the program in early/mid-April.  

9. After Ordering: USDA Pilot Program - Area’s A, C, D, E, F, G, J only.

Allocations for USDA Pilot Project will not be processed during the ordering period. OGS will solicit your school district for your beginning allocation to the program in early/mid-April.  

10. After Ordering: June/July – Run the Requisition Status Report

In June/July, run the Requisition Status Report in WBSCM to view your orders. At this point, your orders have been reviewed and submitted to USDA.

Previous School Year Information

The USDA Foods processing program allows schools to contract with commercial Food Processors to convert raw bulk USDA Foods into more convenient, ready-to-use end products. These end products are produced under controlled conditions and strong food safety standards. Processing can be a cost-effective option when used wisely.

Process USDA FOODS

In December 2021, the USDA announced a Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Bonus. OGS Food Distribution allocated a portion of this USDA Food Bonus towards the USDA DoD Fresh Program (DoD). CCC Bonus DoD will be allocated as a lump sum in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Order Receipt System (FFAVORS). All school orders will draw down from the lump sum for orders placed between July 1 – Sept. 30 or until the bonus is depleted. For additional information watch this short video.

USDA’s DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program allows districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to utilize USDA entitlement to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables through the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Order Receipt System (FFAVORS). If you have questions about this program please email [email protected]. 

• To join the USDA’s DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for the first time ever, please email [email protected].
• To request an increase/decrease to your DoD Fresh allocation please complete this survey.
• FFAVORS Customer Ordering Manual
• DoD Fresh Program Guidance for Frank Gargiulo & Son's, Inc. 
• DoD Fresh Program Guidance for Latina Boulevard Foods, LLC.
• FFAVORS Login
• Training videos about using FFAVORS including ordering, receipting, and running reports are available at the link below.

Watch FFAVORS Training Videos

The purpose of CACFP is to improve the nutritional quality of meals served to children in child care centers and child care homes, and adults in day care. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds the New York State Department of Health to provide reimbursement for meals and snacks served in licensed non-profit, for-profit, or public centers or licensed/registered child care homes.

The program improves the nutritional quality of meals and snacks in three ways:

1. Setting requirements for the kind and amount of food to be served.
2. Providing money (reimbursement) to eligible programs and providers for meals that meet requirements.
3. Requiring periodic training and monitoring for staff in participating organizations.

To Participate:

Child care home providers must sign up with a state-approved sponsor. Centers must be licensed, non-profit, or public and may apply for themselves or participate through a sponsor that meets the same requirements. Centers, child care home providers, and sponsors should contact the New York State Department of Health for details on program participation or to see if your program is eligible to participate.

You can contact the New York State Department of Health at:

• Phone: 518-402-7400
• Web: www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/cacfp/
• Email: [email protected]

The School Lunch Advisory Council (SLAC) meetings are scheduled three times per year. The meetings are an opportunity for area representatives to discuss challenges and/or successes in the school lunch program with the Office of General Services (OGS), State Education and the USDA. The meeting is most successful when SLAC representatives receive feedback from area school food directors. Please take the opportunity to contact your representative with any items you feel should be discussed with the Council.

• January 19, 2024 SLAC Meeting Notes
  • NY State Education Department (NYSED)
  • NY School Nutrition Association (NYSNA)
  • NYS Agriculture & Markets (NYSAGM)
  • NYS OGS Food Distribution (NYSOGS FD)

Guest Organizations

• Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)
• Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE)
• Affinity Group

Upcoming Meetings:

• Meeting 1 (Fall) – September 29, 2023 (In-person)
• Meeting 2 (Winter) – January 19, 2024 (Virtual)
• Meeting 3 (Spring) – May 10, 2024 (In-person)

Council Members

Download the SY2022-23 SLAC Contact List here.

• Food Preference Survey Worksheet
• Food Preference Survey Instructions
• Food Preference Survey Training
  • Introduction & Overview (Part 1 of 3)
  • Food Preference Survey Worksheet (Part 2 of 3)
  • Submitting Your Survey Response (Part 3 of 3)
• Food Preference Survey Results