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Roswell ISD nutrition director warns Buy American rule, milk changes and scratch-cook mandate will strain budgets

Roswell Independent School District Board of Education · January 13, 2026
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Summary

District nutrition staff explained new federal/state limits on added sugar for cereals/yogurt and a Buy American rule that limits non-domestic purchases to 10%, as well as a New Mexico requirement for 50% scratch-cooked meals; staff said reimbursements do not cover the higher costs and requested additional legislative funding.

District nutrition staff briefed the board on changes to school meal rules that will affect menus and purchasing.

Miss Meeks described federal/state nutrition limits: cereals will be limited to no more than 6 grams of added sugar, yogurts to a maximum of 12 grams per 6-ounce serving and flavored milk to no more than 10 grams of added sugar; she said those constraints affect menu choices. She also described a Buy American requirement that, beginning July 2025, allows only 10% of purchased commercial food products to be non-domestic. "We chart everything that comes in that's not domestic," she said, noting staff track origins and suppliers.

Meeks said New Mexico rules also require that 50% of meals be scratch-cooked for some grade levels and that shift raises staffing and procurement burdens. She warned that current federal and state reimbursements do not cover the extra costs. "We need more funding from legislature to fund our meals," she told the board, adding that increased local purchasing (New Mexico-grown produce) will further increase the food budget.

Meeks also noted conversation about milk standards and that whole milk may be used in the next school year for calcium reasons, but that calorie limits present trade-offs. Board members asked whether additional staff will be needed for increased documentation and whether suppliers are aware of calorie and sugar requirements; Meeks said suppliers have adjusted product formulations and that the district charts compliance.

The board discussed budget implications and asked administration to continue tracking procurement, compliance and cost impacts and to return with data as needed for budget planning.