Overview

Program Description: The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides children in participating elementary schools with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables. This grant opportunity must be applied for annually. The level of funds provided to any one school depends on the school's enrollment and the available funding provided by the USDA.

Purpose: The purpose of the program is to expand and increase the variety and amount of fruits and vegetables children experience and consume. Combined with nutrition education and a reinforcement of healthful eating habits, the program emphasizes the long-term goals of positively influencing children's life-long eating habits and combating childhood obesity.

Who is Eligible to Apply: Public and non-profit private elementary schools that have 50% or greater

 of their students receiving free and/or reduced price meals. Schools with the highest percentage of students certified for free and reduced price meals will be selected over schools with lower percentages of free and/or reduced price meals.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact:

Kathy Clark, MS, RDN, CD

Public Health Nutritionist

kathy.clark@dpi.wi.gov

(608) 266-5197

Cindy Loechler, MS, RDN, CD, SNS

Public Health Nutritionist

cynthia.loechler@dpi.wi.gov

(608) 266-5185

2013-2014 School Year

The Department of Public Instruction is no longer accepting applications for the 2013-2014 school year. Schools will be notified of selection in June.

• Wisconsin Child Nutrition Programs Online Services
• Wisconsin Guidance Summary
• USDA FFVP Handbook
• USDA Announces Allocation of Funds for the School Year 2013-2014

2012-2013 School Year

• Press Release Announcing Selected Schools
• Online Claims and Budgets
• Required FFVP Training
  • Step By Step Instructions
  • How to Submit Your Budget Video Only, No Audio
  • How to Submit Your Claim Video Only, No Audio
  • Required August Training
• Important Dates
• Equipment Justification Form
• Employee Time Sheet
• USDA Announces Allocation of Funds for the School Year 2012-2013

Program Administration

• The Proposed Rule on the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program was published on Friday, February 24, 2012. Comments on this proposed rule were to be received by the Food and Nutrition Service on or before April 24, 2012.
• USDA FFVP Toolkit - Provides a variety of resources from state agencies to help you build a successful FFVP
• USDA FFVP Handbook
• USDA Guidance Memos - look here for updates from the USDA on program administration
  • Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Fees in FSMC Contracts (5/31/12)
  • Procurement Geographic Preference Q and As (2/01/11)
  • Geographic Preference Rule (4/22/11)
  • Teacher Modeling in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (11/5/10)
• Wisconsin Guidance Memos
  • Locally Grown, Fresh, Raw, Whole Fruits and Vegetables - Joint memo from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, explaining that there is no licensing requirement for sources of fresh produce. September 2010.
• Procurement Resources
  • Allowable and Non-Allowable FFVP Expenditures
  • Purchasing Flow Chart
  • Vendor Contact Record
  • Farm to School
  • Department of Defense

Nutrition Education

Please visit the FFVP Nutrition Education webpage to access Nutrition Nugget videos, fact sheets, worksheets, games, lesson plans, and more!

Food Safety

• WI State Regulations for Buying Locally Grown Foods - Chapter 4
• Washing and Handling Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
• Prototype Standard Operating Procedure for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)
• USDA/Team Nutrition Fruit and Vegetable Food Safety
• NFSMI Produce Safety Materials
• NFSMI Best Practices for Handling Fresh Produce

Additional Information

• Evaluation Interim Report
• Why Fruit and Vegetable Access and Consumption Matters
• Additional Grant Opportunities
• Related Links