The Ohio Commodity Distribution Program (CDP) distributes United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) donated food to schools
participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or
the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Commodity foods are
staples -- such as meats, cheese, fruits and vegetables --
distributed to eligible nutrition programs within U.S. schools
and agencies. These foods are intended to account for no more
than approximately 20 percent of a school district’s total
school lunch budget. To view examples of commodity foods
distributed in Ohio, click here. How Commodity Foods are
Distributed The Ohio CDP distributes commodity foods to
participating schools and/or agencies based on their
"entitlement." Entitlement dollars are earned by each program
participant (i.e., school district) in accordance with USDA
guidelines, and are determined and allocated by the number of
student lunches served in the previous year multiplied by the
USDA commodity reimbursement rate. Periodically, the USDA