Ohio child nutrition sponsors have been told that strawberry cups under item 100256 will not arrive as planned, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported a supply shortfall tied to crop problems caused by bad weather.
The state Office of Nutrition said the September shipment to distributor Sysco was scrapped. What Sysco already holds will be spread among sponsors for October through December.
No further strawberry cup inventory is anticipated for the rest of the school year, according to the office, and January through May 2027 allocations have been dropped because stock is exhausted.
Entitlement or Planned Assistance Level money tied to the item has been credited back to sponsors' PAL balances. The office said that credit can be sent through direct diversion or directed to the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program using a transfer request form submitted to Justin Chapman.
Questions go to USDA Foods program specialists Christine Farmer and Justin Chapman. The office expressed regret for the disruption.