Updates and Changes

Watch this space for rule changes and program updates. 5/09  Provider Record Maintenance Requirements The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently issued a memo to reaffirm the intent of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) regulations, which require family day care home providers to maintain program records. Requirement: Family Day Care Home (FDCH) Providers in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) must maintain child enrollment forms, menus, meal count records and attendance records as required by Federal Regulation at 7 CFR 226.10(d) and 226.18(d), (e) and (g).   The Federal regulation requires that records shall be retained for three years after the date of submission of the final claim for the fiscal year to which they pertain.  However, if audit findings have not been resolved, the records shall be retained beyond the end of the three year period as long as may be required for the resolution of the issues raised by the audit. Providers must maintain and have on hand for immediate review all records that support their program activities for the current month plus the previous twelve months of operation.  Providers may store the remaining two years of records, offsite; however, the records must still be in the control of the provider and accessible within a reasonable amount of time.  If no offsite storage is used, providers must retain three years of records onsite at the family day care home. Records can be kept in hard copy or electronic format, provided that they are readily available for reviewers. 6/09 CN (Child Nutrition) Labels The CN Label is a voluntary Federal labeling program for food manufacturers regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).  The CN label shows a product's contributions to the CACFP meal pattern requirements. USDA recently advised state agencies that CN Labels are only valid when the label is attached to the purchased product.  Sales and marketing teams have been known to provide printer?s proofs of CN labels as they market the product to their customers.  Printer's proofs and CN label photocopies are not valid for meal pattern documentation purposes. HOW DO I IDENTIFY A CN LABEL? A CN label will always contain the following: The CN logo which is a distinct border. The meal pattern contribution statement. A 6 digit product identification number. USDA/FNS authorization. The month and year of approval.  This approval date is valid for 5 years.  POLICY CHANGE: Effective July l, 2009, anytime a CN product is going to be used to credit a portion of a meal, providers must attach the ORIGINAL CN label to their menu form when submitting their claim to N.W. Nutrition Service.  If you have questions, please contact your Case Manager. Thank you, Northwest Nutrition Service, Inc.

We anticipate reimbursement checks will be mailed on February 23rd