(a) Distribution charge. The distributing agency must use funds obtained from the distribution charge imposed on recipient agencies in child nutrition programs, in accordance with § 250.13(b), to meet the costs of storing and distributing donated foods or related administrative costs, consistent with the limitations on the use of funds provided under a Federal grant in 2 CFR part 200, subparts D and E, and USDA implementing regulations at 2 CFR parts 400 and 416. The distributing agency must maintain such funds in an operating account, separate from other funds obtained incidental to donated food distribution. The amount of funds maintained at any time in the operating account may not exceed the distributing agency's highest expenditure from that account over any three-month period in the previous school or fiscal year, unless the distributing agency receives FNS approval to maintain a larger amount of funds in such account. Unless such approval is granted, funds in excess of the established limit must be used to reduce the distribution charge imposed on recipient agencies, or to provide appropriate reimbursement to such agencies. The distributing agency may not use funds obtained from the distribution charge to purchase foods to replace donated food losses or to pay claims to make restitution for donated food losses.

(b) Processing and food service management company contracts. School food authorities must use funds obtained from processors in processing of donated foods into end products (e.g., through rebates for the value of such donated foods), or from food service management companies in crediting for the value of donated foods received, in support of the nonprofit school food service, in accordance with § 210.14 of this chapter. Other recipient agencies must use such funds in accordance with the requirements in paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Claims and other sources. The distributing agency must ensure that funds collected in payment of claims for donated food losses are used only for the payment of expenses of the food distribution program. The first priority for the use of funds collected in a claim for the loss of donated foods is the purchase of replacement foods for use in the program in which the loss occurred. If the purchase of replacement foods is not feasible, funds collected in a claim for the loss of donated foods must be used to pay allowable administrative costs incurred in the storage and distribution of donated foods. The distributing agency, or recipient agency, must use funds obtained from sources incidental to donated food distribution (except as otherwise indicated in this section) to pay administrative costs incurred in the storage and distribution of donated foods, consistent with the limitations on the use of funds provided under a Federal grant in 2 CFR part 200, subparts D and E, and USDA implementing regulations at 2 CFR parts 400 and 416. The distributing agency must maintain funds obtained from claims and other sources included in this paragraph (c) in a donated food account (separate from the operating account maintained in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section), and must obtain FNS prior approval for any single deposit into, or expenditure from, such account in excess of $25,000. Distributing and recipient agencies must maintain records of funds obtained and expended in accordance with this paragraph (c). Examples of funds applicable to the provisions in this paragraph (c) include funds accrued from:

(1) The salvage of out-of-condition donated foods.

(2) The sale of donated food containers, pallets, or packing materials.

(3) Payments by processors for failure to meet processing yields or other cause.

(d) Prohibitions. The distributing agency may not use funds obtained incidental to donated food distribution to meet State matching requirements for Federal administrative funds provided in household programs, or in place of State Administrative Expense (SAE) funds provided in accordance with 7 CFR part 235.

(e) Buy American. When funds obtained in accordance with this section are used to purchase foods in the commercial market, a distributing or recipient agency in the continental United States, and in Hawaii, must, to the maximum extent practical, purchase only domestic foods or food products. Such requirement is also applicable to food purchases made with the cash-in-lieu-of-donated foods provided in NSLP and CACFP, in accordance with §§ 250.56(e) and 250.61(c). For the purposes of this section, domestic foods or food products are:

(1) Agricultural commodities that are produced in the United States; or

(2) Food products that are processed in the United States substantially using agricultural commodities that are produced in the United States.