7/19/22

New Jersey school cafeterias will be receiving some help from the USDA in the coming ’22-’23 school year.

A total of $24,917,949 in federal funds will be distributed to school food authorities (SFA) to help alleviate some of the supply chain problems so many of them have been experiencing.

Eligible SFA’s will be awarded a base payment of $5,000. Additional funding will be paid to each SFA at an amount proportionate to its share of statewide enrollment.

A total of 614 SFA’s have signed up to receive the support of these funds. Considering that an SFA can be counted as anything from a single school to entire school districts, it is likely that most of the state’s schools are involved.

When awarded, SFA’s can only use the money to purchase unprocessed or minimally processed domestic foods. They cannot use it to pay off any debts incurred from past purchases.

Distribution of payments will take place this month (July).