How to Participate

Shipping and Storage

USDA Foods Delivery Schedule - Shows the due dates and shipping dates for monthly orders in CNPweb. It can be accessed in the State Forms, Resources, and Memos page of FDP Central.

USDA Shipments into State Warehouse - This document shows the anticipated dates that products will be arriving to the state warehouse. It can be accessed from the homepage of FDP Central.

FDP Dictionary

Annual Survey: This "survey" is how SFAs select the USDA foods that they would like to receive for the upcoming school year. The survey is completed annually in February.
Commodity Foods: Commodity foods is another common name for USDA Foods.
Direct Delivery: A method of buying USDA food and bringing it to the SFA without processing. More on direct delivery.
Direct Shipments: When USDA foods are delivered directly to an SFA, bypassing the state warehouse. More on Direct Shipments.
DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Also known as the "DoD Program." A program that allows SFAs to spend their entitlement money on fresh produce. More on the DoD Program.
Entitlement: The Federal funds allocated to Utah each school year.
FDP: Food Distribution Program. This program may also be referred to as the USDA Food Program, or the Commodity Food Program.
Planned Assistance Level (PAL): The entitlement funds that the state receives is further distributed to SFAs to use towards USDA products.
Processing: A method of buying USDA bulk food and then sending it to a manufacturer to have it made into a final product. More on processing.
RA: Recipient Agency. This is the entity receiving the food. Typically the recipient agency is the SFA.
SFA: School Food Authority, or term used in reference to the food service department within a school district or charter school.
State Warehouse: The Davis Child Nutrition Program Warehouse is the warehouse used to store the state USDA foods. As trucks of USDA food arrive in Utah, they are stored here before being shipped out to SFAs.

American Commodity Distribution Association

The American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA) is an association of school, government, and industry professionals. Their goal is to discuss the Food Distribution Program. Each year ACDA holds an annual conference to discuss many FDP topics. These presentations are a great resource for those interested in learning more about the FDP.