2023-2025
FOOD AND NUTRITION DIVISION
WHO WE ARE:
The Texas Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Division administers 12 federal child and special nutrition programs and more than $2.5 billion in federal money annually used to fund the programs for the State of Texas.
These nutrition programs exemplify “eating right” for Texans of every age and background and help them build a bridge to success. Everyone plays a role in teaching children the 3E’s of Healthy Living - Education, Exercise and Eating Right.
TDA supports providers of nutrition assistance by helping ensure accountability and the efficient use of taxpayer dollars to nourish Texans in need. By striving to put Texans on the path to wellness through TDA nutrition programs and ensuring those programs operate with efficiency and accuracy, the Food and Nutrition Division works to fulfill its mission — To advance compliant USDA nutrition programs through effective partnerships and educational resources.
The executive team oversees the entire Food and Nutrition Division and includes the assistant commissioner, administrators, as well as eight sections, each led by a director.
MISSION
To advance compliant USDA nutrition programs through effective partnerships and educational resources.
VISION
To increase equitable access to healthy meals for Texans by effectively administering USDA food and nutrition assistance programs.
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EPIC CORE VALUES
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EXCELLENCE
Strive for quality customer service and quality administration of Food & Nutrition programs.
PROFESSIONAL
Create a work environment that is open-minded, inspirational, and inclusive to creative ideas and diversity.
INTEGRITY
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Act in good faith with all stakeholders, internally and externally.
COLLABORATION
Strive to be efficient and effective in all aspects to deliver high quality services.
OUR PROGRAMS
NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM (NSLP)
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program that provides lunches to more than 3 million Texas children in school and residential childcare institutions. NSLP serves nutritious, low-cost or free lunches to students in public and nonprofit private schools in Texas. Lunches must meet federal nutrition guidelines and are reimbursable to schools based on number of meals served.
SPECIAL MILK PROGRAM (SMP)
The Special Milk Program (SMP) reimburses contracting entities for half-pints of milk they serve daily to school-age and preschool-age children who do not otherwise participate in a federal child nutrition meal service program. SMP participants include children who are enrolled in public schools, private nonprofit schools, childcare facilities or summer camps.
SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM (SBP)
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) reimburses the approved meals served to more than 1.5 million qualifying Texan children daily. SBP encourages the consumption of domestically produced agricultural commodities and foods. SBP participants include children who are enrolled in the public schools or private nonprofit schools, or who live in public or private nonprofit residential childcare institutions.
OUR PROGRAMS
THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP)
Through TEFAP, TDA Food Bank contractors distribute USDA-donated food to emergency feeding organizations such as food banks, soup kitchens, and housing authorities. TEFAP food is made available to participating Texans either through prepared meals on-site at these organizations or food packages that participating Texans can take home to consume at their convenience.
COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM (CSFP)
The purpose of this program is to improve the health and nutritional status of elderly persons, 60 and older, who are vulnerable to malnutrition and are income eligible. TDA administers CSFP through agreements with individual food banks and provides oversight of their operations.
FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM (FMNP)
The Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) allows qualified participants to buy nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables using FMNP vouchers from participating farmers’ market associations to improve their diets. FMNP: (1) is not a statewide program; (2) provides resources to low-income women and children in the form of fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and culinary herbs from farmers’ markets; and (3) increases the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities by helping develop or expand domestic farmers’ markets.
OUR PROGRAMS
SENIOR FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM (SFMNP)
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) allows qualified participants to buy nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables using SFMNP vouchers from participating farmers’ market associations to improve their diets. SFMNP: (1) is not a statewide program; (2) provides resources to low-income seniors in the form of fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and culinary herbs from farmers’ markets; and (3) increases the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities by helping develop or expand domestic farmers’ markets.
FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR DISASTER RELIEF (FADR)
As part of the National Response Framework, USDA supplies food to disaster relief organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army for mass feeding or household distribution. When the President or other authorized officials have declared a major disaster or a situation of distress, disaster organizations may request approval from TDA to receive USDA Foods for use in providing congregate meal service to disaster victims.
OUR PROGRAMS
FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM (FFVP)
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a federally assisted invitation-only program. FFVP helps schools create healthier environments by providing healthier food choices, expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables and increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM (FDP)
All schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are eligible to receive USDA-donated food. The USDA’s Food Distribution Program (FDP) supports American agricultural producers by providing nutritious, USDA-purchased food to nutrition programs in public schools, charter and private schools and residential childcare institutions.
STRATEGIC PLAN
GOAL: Improve Access to Nutrition Programs.
OBJECTIVE:
Identify barriers to improve access to federal nutrition programs in underserved areas.
ACTION PLAN:
• Identify and promote eligible partners (CEs) in areas that are underrepresented.
• Work with partners in underserved areas to increase participation.
• Use a lens that includes diversity, equity, and inclusion to increase channels of communication.
• Evaluate current rules and regulations and initiate measures to simplify the dissemination and application of information to improve clarity and maximize understanding of program requirements and expectations.
GOAL: Enhance Collaboration and Engagement.
OBJECTIVE:
Enhance collaboration across sections through systems-thinking processes and tools that will inform and engage internal and external audiences.
ACTION PLAN:
• Build a collaborative strategic insight team to review data and develop solutions that support dynamic processes/systems.
• Create ways for employees to exchange ideas, information, and questions by employing tools to allow our professionals to seek answers from their peers, strengthen connections between colleagues, and transfer knowledge.
• Enhance the division’s collaborative messaging protocols to deliver consistent, credible, and tailored content internally and externally.
• Provide orientation and training for new hires that is engaging, dynamic, and creates awareness of the interconnectivity of each section’s operations and Food & Nutrition Division programs.
STRATEGIC PLAN
GOAL: Effective Resources Informing Division Practices.
OBJECTIVE:
Ensure that technological systems provide effective and efficient application, monitoring, and reporting resources to inform division practices.
ACTION PLAN:
• Develop and implement a data governance program to better leverage and manage data assets for efficient program administration.
• Assess current system utilized by TDA and other viable options to determine a long-term solution that enhances compliance and streamlines processes across sections.
• Develop division metric and data measurements to monitor program outcomes and operational efficiency.
GOAL: Eliminate Redundancy Across Division.
OBJECTIVE:
Establish processes that will improve efficiencies and eliminate redundancy across all sections of the division.
ACTION PLAN:
• Revise existing resources and establish comprehensive guidelines for key processes to enhance knowledge transfer and the creation of shared documentation. Developing job aids and procedure documents enables the identification of redundancies. Creating process documentation enables the identification and resolution of redundancies. Creating process documentation enables the identification and resolution of redundancies.
• Improve staff program knowledge.
• Ensure that staff skill-sets are evaluated and maximized to achieve unit objectives.
STRATEGIC PLAN
GOAL:
Employee Retention.
OBJECTIVE:
Improve employee retention and engagement.
ACTION PLAN:
• Perform periodic reviews of employees’ satisfaction and engagement.
• Establish tiered systems in employee job classifications to encourage promotion and highlight the growth opportunities for staff in the division.
• Provide cross-training and continuing education with opportunities for advancement and professional growth.
• Implement non-monetary forms of employee recognition within the division.
GOAL: Provide Training Opportunities.
OBJECTIVE:
Provide internal and external training opportunities that increase selfsufficiency, compliance and quality services.
ACTION PLAN:
• Assess training resources available for CE/partner training (external customers).
• Assess training resources available for employee training (internal customers).
• Asses training resources available for ESC training.
STRATEGIC PLAN NOTES
GENERAL CONTACT INFORMATION (877) TEX MEAL (839-6325)
FAX (888) 203-6593
SQUAREMEALS@TEXASAGRICULTURE.GOV
MAILING ADDRESS
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE P.O. BOX 12847 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78711-2847
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1700 NORTH CONGRESS AVENUE, 10TH FLOOR AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701
TDA FRAUD PREVENTION COORDINATOR 1-866-5-FRAUD-4 1-866-537-2834
FRAUD@TEXASAGRICULTURE.GOV
