The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 required implementation of the School Food Safety Program in the school year 2005-06.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) anticipates that, by now, most SFAs have implemented, (or are close to completing implementation) of the Program at each food preparation and service facility under their jurisdiction.  The guidance material intended to help SFAs develop the Food Safety Program was distributed to all SFAs in June 2005 ("Guidance for School Food Authorities: Developing a School Food Safety Program Based on the Process Approach to HACCP Principles".)  The USDA guidance identifies the minimum elements that must be included in the Food Safety Plan.  Two primary components to incorporate are the Process Approach and Standard Operating Procedures.  SFAs that already have a HACCP-based Food Safety Program in place may retain their current program, provided it includes all of the HACCP principles listed in the guidance.

    If you have staff that have not attended a training session yet, we highly recommend that you do so immediately, as your schools need to be in compliance with the law.  A written plan is needed for each school building.  We are required to confirm implementation of your Food Safety Program during both the Coordinated Review Effort (CRE) and School Meals Initiative (SMI) monitoring reviews.  Administrators and parents in your community will not want to receive a report that indicates that health and safety requirements have not been put into place.  Heightened awareness of food safety issues are occurring regularly with the frequent recalls, i.e., spinach, peanut butter, fish, etc.; do not leave your SFA unprepared.  If you have staff who have not attended a six-hour training session yet, contact Elizabeth Lattanzio at (518) 474-3326.  We will try to arrange additional training sessions to accommodate you.