Attachment A USDA CSFP Rev Max Month Distrib Rates.pdf

--=====1 United States Department of Agriculture

Food and DATE:

Nutrition

Service

SUBJECT:

1320 Braddock

Place

Alexandria, VA

22314 TO:

April 19, 2022

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP): Revised

Maximum Monthly Distribution Rates to Return to Full Vegetable

Issuance

Regional Directors

Special Nutrition Programs

MARO, MPRO, MWRO,

NERO, SERO, SWRO, and

WRO

State Directors

CSFP State Agencies

All Current and New States

Issuing Agency/Office: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)

Title of Document:

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP):

Revised Maximum Monthly Distribution Rates to

Return to Full Vegetable Issuance Document ID:

Z-RIN: N/A

Date of Issuance: April 19, 2022

Replaces: N/A

Summary:

This memorandum provides guidance on the return to full issuance of Commodity Supplemental Food

Program (CSFP) food packages due to improvements in vendors’ ability to supply canned vegetables.

Body of guidance document follows.

Guide Rate Change

Since December 2020, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) has been experiencing product shortages due to ongoing issues with vendors’ ability to supply some products. Canned vegetables were the most severely impacted. To address this issue, on

February 26, 2021, FNS temporarily reduced the quantity of vegetables offered in the CSFP

Maximum Monthly Distribution Rates, or Guide Rates, from 8 cans to 4 cans. Due to improving market conditions and the replenishment of vegetable inventories, FNS raised the temporary issuance to 6 cans on November 1, 2021. As conditions further improve, FNS is now in a position, effective May 1, 2022, to return to the full issuance of 8 units of vegetables or soup for May 2022 distributions and beyond. Attachment A provides the current Guide Rate for

CSFP to be implemented on May 1, 2022.

USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer and Lender

As a reminder, the vegetable category distribution options are either:

1. 8 units of vegetables or soup, or

2. 6 units of vegetables/soup and 1 package of dehydrated potatoes

*Large can-size vegetables (16 oz. and greater) count as two vegetables in the

Guide Rate.

While we encourage States and ITOs to issue the full 8 unit vegetable/soup category issuance to the greatest extent possible, to minimize program burden, any food packages that have already been pre-packed per the previous Guide Rate (effective February 26, 2021), may be distributed to CSFP participants without modification. However, May 2022 food packages packed after the issuance of this memorandum must be packed according to the Distribution Rates in Attachment

A.

Temporary CSFP Product Purchases

Consistent with current FNS policy, some foods in the food package may be unavailable from time to time due to changing agricultural market conditions. This may impact the choices listed within the Food Package Categories. To alleviate recent vegetable product shortages, FNS has been purchasing a variety of vegetables not typically available in the CSFP package. To enable

FNS to supply sufficient vegetables nationally to meet the full food package issuance rate, these alternative vegetable options will continue to be purchased for the time being. Depending on changes in the market, FNS may also need to purchase other products not usually offered.

Attachment B includes guidance on how to distribute these temporary products and will be updated on an as-needed basis when additional products are purchased.

We appreciate your assistance during this temporary shortage and your work to ensure CSFP participants continue to receive the needed food assistance during this time.

/s/ Original Signature on File

Laura Castro

Director

Food Distribution Division

Attachment A

COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM

MAXIMUM MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION RATES

Effective May 1, 2022 until Further Notice

Food Package

Category Food Item Amount Each Month

Fruits and Juice

Canned Fruit (15.5 oz)

Juice (64 oz)

Raisins (15 oz)

• 1 juice and 3 cans fruit; or

• 2 juices and 2 cans fruit; or

• 1 package raisins, 1 juice, and 2 cans fruit; or

• 1 package raisins, 2 juices and 1 can fruit.

Vegetables

Canned Vegetables or Soup

(10.5 to 15.5 oz)

Dehydrated Potatoes (1 lb)

• 8 cans vegetables or soup; or

• 6 cans vegetables or soup, and 1 package dehydrated potatoes.

Cheese Cheese (2 lb) • 1 package cheese.

Milk UHT Fluid Milk 1% (32 oz)

Instant Nonfat Dry Milk (12.8 oz)

• 2 UHT milk; or

• 1 UHT milk and 1 (12.8 oz) Nonfat Dry Milk

Meat, Poultry, and Fish

Beef, Beef Stew, or Chili* (24 oz)

Chicken (10 to 15 oz)

Beef Chili with Beans (15 oz)

Tuna (12 oz)

Salmon (14.75 oz)

• 1 (24 oz) shelf-stable package meat and 1 (10 to 15 oz) shelf-stable package beef, poultry or fish; or

• 3 (10 to 15 oz) shelf-stable packages beef, poultry and/or fish of any combination.

Plant-Based

Protein

Canned Beans (15.5 oz)

Dry Beans or Lentils (1 to 2* lb)

Peanut Butter (16 to 18* oz)

• 3 units of any combination of canned beans, (1 lb) dry beans or lentils, and peanut butter; or

• 1 (2* lb) unit dry beans or lentils, and 1 unit of canned beans, peanut butter, or (1 lb) dry beans or lentils.

Cereals

Cereal, Dry Ready-to-Eat, (12 to 18 oz)

Farina (18 oz)

Rolled Oats (18 to 48* oz)

Grits (2 to 5* lb)

• 2 units of any combination of cereal, farina, (18 oz) rolled oats, and (2 lb) grits; or

• 1 (42* to 48* oz) unit rolled oats; or

• 1 (5* lb) unit grits (every other month).

Pasta and Rice

Pasta (1 lb)

Rice (1 to 2* lb)

• 2 units of any combination of pasta and (1 lb) rice; or

• 1 (2* lb) unit rice

Attachment B1

Temporary Food Options

The following tables provide details on how to incorporate the temporary CSFP products and sizes into the Distribution Rates.

For the following temporary vegetable products, one product unit should be issued as one can of vegetables under the Distribution Rates.

Temporary Products

1 can = 1 can of Vegetables

Product Material Code

Peas W/O Salt Can 12/15 Oz 111376

Tomatoes/Okra & Corn Can 12/15 Oz 111396

Okra Cut Can 12/14.5 Oz 111395

Beans Green Cut Can 24/14.5 Oz 111391

Beans Green French Can 24/14.5 Oz 111392

Corn Fresh Cut Kernel Can 24/15.25 Oz 111394

Collard Greens NSA Can 12/14 Oz 111425

Cut Green Beans 12/14.4 Oz 111426

Cut Italian Green Beans 24/14.5 Oz 111481

Low Sodium Collards 12/14 Oz 111484

Low Sodium Kale Greens 12/14.5 Oz 111483

Low Sodium Mixed Greens 12/14.5 Oz 111472

Mixed Vegetables 12/15 Oz 111491

Whole Green Beans 24/14.5 Oz 111490

Whole Kernel Gold Corn 12/15.25 oz 111470

1 Updated Attachment B as of April 19, 2022. Attachment B will be updated on an as-needed basis as new products are purchased.

For the following temporary vegetable products, one product unit should be issued as two cans of vegetables under the Distribution Rates.1

Temporary Products

1 can/pouch = 2 cans of Vegetables

Product Material Code

Beans Green Cut & Potatoes Can 12/38 Oz 111398

Sweet Potatoes Can 12/40 Oz 111399

Sweet Potatoes Can 29 Oz 111400

Mixed Vegetables Can 12/29 Oz 111401

Spaghetti Sauce Pouch 20/28 Oz 111402

Beans Green Can 12/38 Oz 111397

Mixed Vegetables 12/29 Oz 111480

1 Updated Attachment B as of April 19, 2022. Attachment B will be updated on an as-needed basis as new products are purchased.