Have you heard the news? USDA Foods has a new ordering site!
USDA Foods, formerly known as Commodities, is getting a new ordering site for the great state of Texas. Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) piloted the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Web Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) software in January 2023 for requesting USDA Foods. Starting January 2024, this software will be used across the entire state of Texas by all Contracting Entities (CE's) wishing to participate in USDA Foods. This new software system will streamline how USDA Foods are requisitioned and eliminate the chance of order errors.
TDA has mandated that any individual responsible for maintaining the CE's USDA Foods entitlement attend required training from the Education Service Centers before USDA creates a WBSCM account. Individuals who did not attend the training sessions will not have access to WBSCM, meaning they risk not being able to use the USDA Foods entitlement dollars. Region 7 ESC began offering the mandatory classes in November 2023 and will hold additional labs in January and February 2024 to help the ordering managers create their USDA Foods requisitions.
The Child Nutrition Team at Region 7 ESC continues to work with all CEs needing the training so we can have 100% USDA Foods participation. If you are unsure about the status of your CE's ability to utilize your USDA Foods entitlement, please get in touch with the Child Nutrition Team, and we will be happy to assist you.
About WBSCM
The Web Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system is an integrated, internet-based commodity ordering, acquisition, distribution, and tracking system. WBSCM supports domestic and international food aid and nutrition assistance programs and marketing programs for American-produced and processed commodities. Multiple programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), serve over 30 million Americans and are administered through 98 State Distributing Agencies (SDAs), supporting over 100,000 Recipient Agency (RA) school districts, food banks, and feeding centers, and 113 Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), supporting over 75,000 program participants.
Household-level programs, such as Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), TEFAP, and FDPIR, serve food to insecure groups such as senior citizens, Native Americans, and low-income citizens. International programs, which include Food for Peace, Food for Progress, and Food for Education, serve over 280 million people in over 65 countries with aid provided through the United Nations World Food Program and over 30 foreign governments, and approximately 70 private voluntary organizations (PVOs).
USDA Foods accounts for nearly 20 percent of the value of school districts' food purchases menus. Every year, WBSCM directly supports the order, procurement, and delivery of over 6.5 billion pounds of American farm food commodities with a value in excess of $4 billion.
Transition Timeline
If you would like to know more about our ordering, check out the Child Nutrition page or visit the Region 7 Upcoming Workshops page.
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Lana Anderson, a classically trained chef from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, discovered her passion for baking during an externship at a Mesa, Arizona bakery focused on fresh, daily-made products using on-site ground flour and honey as a sweetener. This experience solidified her love for baking, leading her to teach cooking classes emphasizing whole grains and healthier living. Relocating to Texas in 1998, Lana dedicated the past 24 years to improving school cafeteria meals and promoting nutritious choices for students, proudly declaring herself a culinary pioneer with the words, "I was Cafeteria before Cafeteria was cool" in the chef world.
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