Content Type: FNS Policy

Intended Audience: All CACFP Operators

Dear Program Operator,

On June 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published Policy Memorandum SP-24-2024, CACFP-10-2024, SFSP-14-2024: Geographic Preference Option Questions and Answers (Q&A).

This Policy Memorandum provides updated guidance on the geographic preference option to reflect changes made by the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and expands upon previous guidance by providing information on how to use local as a specification when purchasing locally produced foods.

This Policy Memorandum also rescinds and replaces SP-18-2011: Procurement Geographic Preference Q&As, published by the USDA in February 2011 and SP 03-2013/CACFP 02-2013/SFSP 02-2013: Procurement Geographic Preference Q&As-Part II, published in October 2012.

The notable changes include the following:

• The addition of Q&As that address the use of ‘local’ as a specification (e.g., locally grown, locally raised, or locally caught).
• The use of the term ‘defined scoring advantage’ and two strategies that can be used to implement it.
• The reorganization of the Q&As into new categories, which now include:

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact the Community Procurement Unit by email at ProcurementCACFP@dss.ca.gov.

Thank you.

Family Engagement and Empowerment Division
California Department of Social Services