All the most current resources you need to successfully operate the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program are available here. TDA keeps this page updated with any new policy updates and news, including the following:
- Handbook release notices with update summaries
- Form release notices
- Brand new policy updates that haven’t yet been updated within the handbooks
- FAQs and other resources, as required
Please bookmark this page and check back periodically.
March 1, 2024 - RELEASE: Income Eligibility Guidelines for 2024-2025
The 2024-2025 Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs) for all child nutrition and household programs have been released and posted to SquareMeals here: https://squaremeals.org/FandN-Resources/Income-Eligibility-Guidelines.
Additionally, the following TEFAP resource has been updated with the latest IEGs:
- H1640 – TEFAP IEGs (with Spanish translation now included)
The TEFAP income application that also contains the IEGs for TEFAP will be released closer to their effective date of July 1, 2024.
October 23, 2023 - Updated Policy for Religious Organizations and Related Archival of Forms
The following forms have been removed from SquareMeals and archived:
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program Beneficiary Referral Request
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and/or The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights
Per changes to 7 CFR 16, sites operated by religious organizations are no longer required to post a written notice of beneficiary rights and are not required to provide referrals to alternate sites for participants who object to the religious nature of the site. NOTE: 7 CFR 16 still prohibits discrimination based on religious belief, engaging in explicitly religious activity, and requires that religious activities remain separate in time and place and any participation must be voluntary.
See below for more information on corresponding updates to forms and handbooks related to this policy update.
October 23, 2023 - RELEASE: Revised Participant Application Forms and Rights and Responsibilities Form
Several TEFAP-related forms have been revised to:
- Update links within the Non-discrimination Statement; and/or
- Remove requirements for sites operated by religious organizations to display a Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights and to provide referrals to alternate sites for participants who object to the religious character of the site. These changes reflect the removal of these requirements from 7 CFR 16.
Updated forms include the following:
- H1555 – TEFAP Participant Application
- H1555b – TEFAP Participant Alternative Application (Spanish Version)
- TEFAP Participant Rights and Responsibilities
All forms can be found in the Forms table at: https://squaremeals.org/Programs/TheEmergencyFoodAssistanceProgram/TEFAPAdministrationForms.aspx
October 6, 2023 - RELEASE: Sections 3 and 6 of the TEFAP Handbook
Sections of the TEFAP Handbook were revised for clarity and to reflect the most recent policy guidance. Significant revisions to content and guidance are noted under the section names below and included in the published Revision Notice.
Section 3, Managing the Program
- Removed requirements for sites operated by religious organizations to display a Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights and to provide a referral to an alternate site to participants who object to the religious character of the site. These changes reflect the removal of these requirements from 7 CFR 16.
Section 6, Civil Rights
- Updated the Complaints section to better explain how Contracting Entities should process Civil Rights complaints, along with notification requirements to USDA and TDA.
August 4, 2023 - RELEASE: Multiple TEFAP Handbook Sections
The following TEFAP Handbook sections have been reviewed and revised to add policy clarifications and to align with recent updates to the CSFP Handbook. The updated chapters include:
- Section 2: Program Application
- Section 3: Managing the Program
- Section 4: USDA Foods
- Section 5: Visits, Reviews, and Audits
- Section 6: Civil Rights
- Section 7: Financial Management
- Section 8: Denials and Terminations
- Section 9: Terms, Definitions, and Acronyms
Revised Handbook Revision Notice 23-01 gives more details about the specific updates. Any substantive policy/content updates are highlighted in yellow. You can find individual TEFAP Handbook sections, Revision Notice, and a complete searchable TEFAP Handbook at the following location: https://squaremeals.org/Programs/The-Emergency-Food-Assistance-Program/Policy-Handbook
Please replace any previous versions of the TEFAP Handbook that you may have saved.
UPDATED - Form H1555b - Alternate Household Application for USDA Foods - June 21, 2023
Form H1555b - Alternate Household Application for USDA Foods (both English and Spanish) has been updated to include the 2023-2024 Income Eligibility Guidelines.
2023-2024 Income Eligibility Guidelines Published – February 19, 2023
Refer to the Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEG) page (https://squaremeals.org/FandN-Resources/Income-Eligibility-Guidelines) for new TEFAP Income Eligibility Guidelines going into effect July 1, 2023 (note the 2022-2023 guidelines are still available beneath the new table). Additionally, Form H1640 containing the new guidelines has been published on the TEFAP Administration/Forms page: https://squaremeals.org/Programs/The-Emergency-Food-Assistance-Program/Administration-Forms