Milk ProgramsLearning Support : Minnesota Department of Education

Milk Programs

Milk Programs

The Special Milk Program (SMP) is a federal USDA Child Nutrition Program that provides cash reimbursement for milk at a rate of 17 cents per half pint served at low or no cost to children. The rate of reimbursement changes annually on July 1.  The program can be operated at public and private non-profit schools, residential child care institutions, child care centers, summer camps and other sites sponsored by nonprofit organizations. Schools in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program may also participate in the SMP for preschool and kindergarten students who do not have access to meal programs.  Click on this link to access *USDA Information on Special Milk Program (*by selecting this link, you will be leaving the MDE Web site. See our copyright notice at the bottom of the page for our disclaimer regarding these links.)

The Minnesota Kindergarten Milk Program (MKMP) is a state funded program that provides cash reimbursement for milk at a rate of 14 cents per half pint per day per child served at low or no cost to kindergarten students. NOTE:  The Governor and legislative leaders reached a budget agreement and kindergarten milk reimbursement will rise to 20 cents per carton as of July 1, 2008. The program may operate in public and private non-profit schools, and boarding schools. Schools that participate in the SMP may also participate in the MKMP.

How to Apply:  Note: School Nutrition Program (SNP) sponsors must apply for milk on the SNP site application (do not submit a separate milk application).

New Sponsors:
Refer to Milk Programs - How to Apply for details and complete these forms:

* Milk Programs Application (New Sponsors)
* Milk Programs Agreement (New Sponsors)
* CLiCS Sponsoring Authority Customer ID Request Form (New Sponsors)
* CLiCS Site Customer ID Request Form – submit one form for each site
* CLiCS User ID/Password Request Form – submit to receive/delete a user ID/password
* Listserv Subscribe/Unsubscribe Form – submit to receive important FNS electronic mail messages

Application Renewal via the Cyber-Linked Interactive Child Nutrition System (CLiCS):
Refer to the Milk Programs Application Renewal Instructions for details:
1) Update and save each site application in CLiCS (including enrollment data)
2) Update and save sponsor application as "submitted for approval"

Related program documents available below:

Appeal Procedure  69Kb (4/30/08)  61Kb (4/30/08)
     Steps a school sponsor must take to appeal a state agency administrative action - MN Department of Education - April 2008.
Claim for Reimbursement Due Dates for Child Nutrition Programs  78Kb (7/1/08)  165Kb (7/1/08)
     Chart showing 60 and 90 day deadlines for claims submission (April 2008 through June 2009).
Claim for Reimbursement Processing Dates  63Kb (6/24/08)  178Kb (6/24/08)
     Chart showing the dates claims are processed for payment after being submitted to MN Department of Education (July 2008 through June 2009).
CLiCS Claims & Application Quick Step Instruction Card  123Kb (9/26/05)  55Kb (9/26/05)
     Instructions on how to submit Child Nutrition Program applications and claims through the CLiCS secure website.
Interim Rule on Applying for Free and Reduced Price Meals or Free Milk  60Kb (12/5/07)  40Kb (12/5/07)
     Changes to School Nutrition Programs regulations effective December 2007. For the Special Milk Program, this rule applies only to organizations that collect applications from households in order to claim additional reimbursement for milk served to children eligible for free milk - November 2007 memo.
Late Claims and Adjustments Memo (Policy Clarification)  38Kb (8/30/05)  39Kb (8/30/05)
     Deadlines and limited exceptions to submitting original claims for reimbursement within 60 days and adjusted claims within 90 days of the month when the meals were served - March 2002 memo.
Milk Programs - How to Apply (New Sponsors)  93Kb (4/12/07)  57Kb (4/12/07)
     Instructions for applying to participate in the Special Milk Program (SMP) and/or the MN Kindergarten Milk Program (MKMP) for the first time - for New Sponsors only.
Milk Programs Agreement  166Kb (5/1/07)  202Kb (5/1/07)
     ED-02413-01
Milk Programs Application (New Sponsors) for FY2009  94Kb (6/24/08)  97Kb (6/24/08)
     This application is effective July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.
Milk Programs Application Renewal Instructions  153Kb (3/13/08)  89Kb (3/13/08)
     Instructions for a sponsor renewing its participation in the Milk Programs.
Milk Programs Application Renewal Instructions (PowerPoint)  2Mb (5/4/06)
     Existing Sponsors Application Renewal Process in a PowerPoint Presentation
Non-Discrimination Statement for USDA Child Nutrition Programs (Civil Rights)  29Kb (12/11/06)  27Kb (12/11/06)
     Non-Discrimination Statement for USDA Child Nutrition Programs.
Procurement Requirements - Final Rule  78Kb (11/27/07)  56Kb (11/27/07)
     Final federal rule with changes to procurement requirements for School Nutrition Programs and Special Milk Program effective November 30, 2007.