Overview
School agencies participating in the school nutrition programs agree to maintain necessary facilities for storing, preparing, and serving food and to comply with health standards required by applicable state agency and/or local laws and codes. There are four food safety requirements specified by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for school agencies that participate in the National School Lunch (NSLP)and/or School Breakfast (SBP) Programs.-
Request two food safety inspections from the state or local governmental agency responsible for food safety inspections each school year for each school participating in the school lunch or breakfast program.
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Publicly post the most recent food safety inspection and make a copy of the inspection report available upon request.
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Implement a food safety program based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, per USDA guidance.
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Report annually the number of food safety inspections conducted at each site to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
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Policy and Guidance
- Procuring Local Meat, Poultry, Seafood, Game, and Eggs for Child Nutrition Programs – REVISED, SP 01-2016, USDA, 11/20/23
- Enhancing the School Food Safety Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) SP 37-2013, USDA, 4/26/13
- Food Safety Inspections in Service-Only Sites Participating in the School Meals Programs SP 45-2011, USDA, 8/03/11
- Final Rule: School Food Safety Program Based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles USDA, 12/15/09
- Final Rule: School Food Safety Inspections USDA, 9/2/09
- Additional USDA Food Safety Policy
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Templates - Logs
Use these log templates for daily, weekly, and monthly recordkeeping purposes, including any corrective actions taken.
- Chemical Sanitizing Dish Machine Log
- Cooking and Reheating Temperature Log
- Cooling Temperature Log
- Damaged or Discarded Product Log
- High-Temperature Dish Machine Temperature Log
- Hot and Cold Holding Temperature Log
- Milk Bag-Barrel Temperature Log
- Milk Cooler Temperature and Cleaning Log
- Receiving Log
- Refrigeration Freezer Temperature Log
- Sanitizer Concentration Log
- Thermometer Calibration Log
- Time as a Public Health Control Log
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Templates - Forms
Food Safety Plan
The Food Safety Plan template is designed for use by schools in Wisconsin to meet USDA regulations. Each production site and serving location claiming reimbursable lunches and/or breakfasts must have a plan. This template is consistent with the Wisconsin Food Code. It is recommended for schools that have not used the template, want to start over, or need significant improvements to their plans to meet USDA regulations.
- Site-Specific Food Safety Plan Template for Wisconsin School Food Authorities - Updated April 2024
USDA requires the plan to include documentation describing measures in place for effective monitoring, documenting corrective action was taken, and completing an annual plan review.
Changes may be made to the template, such as
- removal of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that do not apply;
- revision of the SOPs to be specific to the operation; and
- addition of SOPs, when applicable, obtained from other sources or from the list of additional SOPs provided below (e.g., SOP for field trips) which must also be modified for use.
The plan is appropriate for satellites and vended sites with minimum food preparation. Make revisions, as instructed, to adapt the plan for the operation by checking the SOPs that apply and removing the non-applicable SOPS.
Forms
- Employee Health Reporting Agreement
- Food Safety Observation Form - Center of Excellence for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs
- Facility Observation Form - Center of Excellence for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs
- Template Transport Sheet for Lunch and Breakfast
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Food Safety Inspections
A Memorandum of Understanding between DPI and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) was established to coordinate food safety inspections and assist schools in complying with Wisconsin Food Code.
- Definition of Satellite Schools for the Establishment of Fees - DATCP Interpretive Memo
- For questions about the food code or who to contact for inspections contact the Retail Technical Specialists at datcpdfrsretail@wisconsin.gov.
- For questions about food establishment licensing contact datcpdfslicensing@wi.gov or call (608) 224-4720.
Wisconsin Food Code
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Training
Food Protection Manager Certification
Section 12-201.11 (A) (2) of the Wisconsin Food Code requires that at least one person per SFA hold a Food Protection Manager Certification. There are several certification exams accepted in the state of Wisconsin. For a list of accepted certification exams and a course directory, please visit the links below.Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
- Guidance for School Food Authorities: Developing a School Food Safety Program Based on the Process Approach to HACCP Principles - USDA
- Food Safety Resources - Institute of Child Nutrition
Foodborne Illness
- Hepatitis A Fact Sheet (Spanish) (Hmong) - DHS
- Norovirus Fact Sheet (Spanish) (Hmong) - DHS
- Nontyphoidal Salmonella Fact Sheet (Spanish) (Hmong) - DHS
- Salmonella typhi Fact Sheet (Spanish) (Hmong) - DHS
- Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) Fact Sheet (Spanish) (Hmong) - DHS
- Shigella Fact Sheet - DHS
Culture of Food Safety
- Food-Safe Schools: Creating a Culture of Food Safety - USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service Office of Food Safety, The Center of Excellence, and the Institute of Child Nutrition
- Do Your PART - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Handwashing Posters, Activity Sheets, and Other Materials - University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
Food Biosecurity
- A Biosecurity Checklist for School Foodservice Programs: Developing a Biosecurity Management Plan - USDA
Emergency Preparedness
Videos
- Food Safety Flashes - USDA
- Foodservice Employee Training Videos - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Additional Resources
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Food Waste and Donations
Food safety decisions surrounding food donations and food rescue are at the discretion of the sanitarian and/or local regulatory authority, subject to the Wisconsin Food Code as well as local regulations and ordinances. Additional decisions are at the discretion of the local education agency and may require consultation of legal counsel. For more information about other food waste reduction strategies, please visit the Food Waste section of the Menu Planning webpage.
- Sharing and No Thank You Tables Toolkit - includes basic information, FAQ, template standard operating procedure, and template food recovery log
- Guidance for Donating Food DPI SNT, 5/29/19
- Reducing Food Waste in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs DPI SNT, 10/11/16
- The Use of Share Tables in Child Nutrition Programs SP 41-2016, USDA, 06/22/16
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Recalls
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration Recalls, Market Withdrawals, and Safety Alerts
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Recalls and Public Health Alerts
- DATCP News Releases - News and information of interest and importance to the owners and operators of food service establishments and to the people who use them.