UNSPSC 50417001: Organic alfalfa

The type of organic vegetable known as organic alfalfa

UNSPSC 50417001 Organic alfalfa is a Commodity code that in practice captures state and local procurement of fresh produce and food items for child nutrition and school meal programs, though the recent solicitation activity shows no explicit demand for organic alfalfa itself. Instead, school districts across the Southeast, Texas, and Mountain West are soliciting fresh produce including apples, bananas, berries, leafy greens, root vegetables, and prepared produce items, as well as eggs and specialty items, to support National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program operations. The issuing bodies are predominantly K–12 school districts and county boards of education, with one state agency (Georgia Department of Education). School districts represent the overwhelming majority of recent activity, ranging from small rural districts serving under 12,000 students to large urban systems such as Northside Independent School District in San Antonio serving over 127,000 students across 127 campuses. Issuing bodies are explicitly requiring HACCP certification, Buy American compliance, food safety documentation, insurance coverage (typically $1 million general liability minimum), USDA compliance for child nutrition reimbursable products, and E-Verify authorization. Contracts emphasize domestic sourcing preferences, whole-grain and reduced-sodium formulations, and elimination of artificial additives.

Recent activity clusters in Georgia and Texas, with additional solicitations from Florida, Missouri, Utah, and North Carolina. Representative recent opportunities include Early County Board of Education (Georgia) IFB for food and produce with response due June 8, 2026, covering approximately 300 food items and 60 non-food supplies with domestic sourcing preference and whole-grain specifications; Northside Independent School District (San Antonio, Texas) RFP for fresh produce due May 7, 2026, requiring HACCP certification and emphasizing Texas-grown produce through the Harvest of the Month program; Hillsborough County Public Schools (Tampa, Florida) RFP for specialty fruits and vegetables to 18 elementary schools participating in the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, due March 11, 2026, with an estimated annual budget of $600,000 funded entirely by federal USDA grants; and Douglas County School System (Georgia) RFP issued through the GEC Buying Cooperative covering 30 school districts across two geographic areas with estimated annual spend of approximately $4.4 million for Area One and $1.1 million for Area Two, due March 4, 2026. Most contracts run July 1 through June 30 aligned with the school fiscal year, feature weekly or twice-weekly delivery requirements, allow line-item award to multiple vendors, and include renewal options for two to four additional one-year terms.