MARKETING SERVICES

• For SY 2007-08 (except for delivery region 7; IJ Foodservice) our commodity distribution contracts now allow distributors to charge a 20 case minimum drop. If you ask for less than 20 cases per drop you can be billed as if 20 cases were delivered. You can minimize this expense by consolidating stops, purchasing product from the distributor in addition to the USDA foods or by picking up USDA foods with your own suitable transportation.
• Processors of USDA foods are now required to ship no less than 50 cases of the same finished product per load. Distributor warehouse slots are no longer sufficient for all the samples. If public school districts need processor samples, ask your broker to ship/mail them directly to you.
• Schools should use USDA foods within six months of arrival. For SY 2007-08 (except for delivery region 7; IJ Foodservice) our commodity distribution contracts now allow distributors to double storage fees per case after six months of storage. USDA foods remaining in distributor storage longer than 12 months may be transferred by our office to other schools that can more readily use them.
• Some mozzarella cheese orders have been delayed or cancelled especially B077 for diversion to processors. Schools were asked to submit their first half SY 2008-09 mozzarella cheese requests in an attempt to reserve manufacturer capacity and hopefully ensure more timely mozzarella cheese purchases next school year.
• USDA chicken and turkey purchases, except for bulk turkey to processors, have been delayed 30-60 days so far. Purchases should catch up after the holidays. We will keep everyone informed if cancellations become necessary to recoup entitlement for use on other commodities.
• August and September deliveries of frozen potatoes could not be purchased but October and November orders are on track plus December and later deliveries are expected to be on time.
• Please let us know if you are experiencing any reoccurring delivery problems from your USDA foods distributor. You can review a copy of our contract for distribution of USDA commodities general terms by visiting our Forms page or download a copy for reference.
  
• The Virginia Department of Education has again provided funds to defray a portion of the delivery fees on behalf of schools in Virginia. Contract distributors of USDA commodities will be crediting delivery and storage fees to Virginia schools during school year 2007-08 until these funds run out.
  

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