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.

Current Highlights

• In December 2021, the USDA announced a Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Bonus. OGS Food Distribution allocated $4 million 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.

Make sure you:

• Run your Requisition Status Report to review your direct delivery orders for the 2021-2022 School Year.
• Review the weekly report from your distributor to see what is available for delivery.

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

School Year 2022-2023 Ordering

• Food Preference Survey Results
• Food Preference Survey Worksheet
• Instructions for completing the Food Preference Survey
• How to Complete the Food Preference Survey Video
• Ordering USDA Foods Direct Delivery (aka Brown Box) and Direct Diversion (aka Processing) for School Year 2022-23 is now open as of February 8, 2022.
  • Ordering Worksheets & Training
    • Ordering Worksheets are now available!
      • Direct Delivery Ordering Worksheet 2022-23
      • Direct Diversion Ordering Worksheet 2022-23
      • Direct Delivery Ordering Worksheet for Co-op 2022-23
    • Ordering USDA Foods Training is now available! See training resources →

The NSLP has a yearly timeline to assist in guiding food service directors.

NSLP Ordering Timeline

Previous School Year Information

Please note:

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.

Ordering USDA Foods

1. Set up or log in to your WBSCM account.

USDA Foods are ordered through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system using entitlement balance.

2. Determine your entitlement balance.

USDA will calculate entitlement dollar figures by school district, based on participation, and load this information into the federal food ordering system Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM).

To find out what your entitlement is for the upcoming school year, you will need to run an Entitlement/Bonus Summary Report in WBSCM. This report will show your school’s beginning entitlement balance; what you have spent your money on; and also what you have left of your entitlement funds. This report can be saved or printed. Instructions on how to run this report are available on the WBSCM troubleshooting page.

3. Complete the food preference survey sent out by OGS Food Distribution in January.

The results of this survey are finalized and are sent back to school food service directors to inform them of the top 30 USDA food items that will be available for ordering for the next school year. Remember that you are always a year ahead in planning your USDA foods order. Completing the food preference survey does not place your USDA foods order.

4. Place orders in the WBSCM system in March and April.

Generally, the WBSCM catalog is opened and available for food ordering in March. Food orders are due throughout the months of March and April as indicated in the WBSCM system. OGS Food Distribution will send reminder emails detailing order by dates. The foods ordered will be scheduled for delivery from August to September of the upcoming school year. Refer to the WBSCM food ordering instructions here.

5. Receive USDA Foods from the area distributor on a predetermined schedule.

Schools get their commodities from the distributor assigned to their area. That distributor works with the food service director to set up delivery schedules that benefit both parties. Deliveries will be made to school buildings twice each month between the months of September and June. All deliveries shall be made Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Distributors will reach out to schools prior to the beginning of the new school year to notify schools of their delivery schedule for the upcoming school year.

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.

• SLAC Minutes 09/30/2022
• SLAC Minutes 05/13/2022
• SLAC Minutes 01/07/2022

Upcoming Meetings:

• January 6, 2023
• May 12, 2023

Council Members

Download the SY2022-23 SLAC Contact List here.