SEC. 2. ENSURING SAFETY OF SCHOOL MEALS. 
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
is amended by inserting after section 22 (42 U.S.C. 
1769c) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 23. ENSURING SAFETY OF SCHOOL MEALS. 
‘‘(a) FOOD
AND NUTRITION SERVICE.—Not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of the School Meal 
Safety and Standards Act, the Secretary, acting through 
the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service, the 
Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service, or 
the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, as appro-
priate, shall— 
‘‘(1) develop guidelines to determine the cir-
cumstances in which it is appropriate for the Sec-
retary to institute an administrative hold on suspect 
food and commodities being used in school meal pro-
grams under this Act and the Child Nutrition Act 
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.); 
‘‘(2) work with States to explore ways for the 
States to improve the timeliness and completeness of 
notification of food and commodity holds and recalls 
to schools and school food authorities; 
‘‘(3) improve the timeliness and completeness of 
notification of food and commodity holds and recalls 
by the Food and Nutrition Service to States, 
schools, and school food authorities, such as through 
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the commodity alert system of the Food and Nutri-
tion Service; 
‘‘(4) establish a timeframe by when the Food 
and Nutrition Service shall improve the food and 
commodity hold and recall procedures of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture to— 
‘‘(A) address the role of processors and de-
termine the involvement of distributors with 
processed products that may contain recalled 
ingredients; and 
‘‘(B) facilitate the provision of more timely 
and accurate information to schools, States, 
and school food authorities; 
‘‘(5) revise the procedures of the Food and Nu-
trition Service to provide States with more specific 
instructions for schools and school food authorities 
about how to dispose of recalled foods and commod-
ities and obtain timely reimbursement; 
‘‘(6) institute a systematic quality check proce-
dure to ensure that holds and recalls by the Food 
and Nutrition Service on foods and commodities 
used by schools are carried out effectively; 
‘‘(7) study existing commercial practices and 
standards regarding food quality, safety, and testing 
procedures and frequency; and 
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‘‘(8) implement regulations that require the De-
partment of Agriculture to meet or exceed, with re-
spect to foods and commodities being used under the 
school meal programs, the commercial practices and 
standards studied pursuant to paragraph (7). 
‘‘(b) FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the School 
Meal Safety and Standards Act, the Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspec-
tion Service, shall revise the procedures of the Food Safety 
and Inspection Service to ensure that schools are included 
in effectiveness checks.’’. 
Æ 
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