TEFAP Rules for Food Pantries in Florida
In Florida, TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) is run by FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services. This page sets out what a food pantry or other distribution site has to do: who qualifies, what each household declares, what you record at each visit, how long you keep it, how complaints are handled and what you report. Where Florida's own documents disagree, that is said plainly rather than smoothed over.
Florida's TEFAP agency and official documents
- FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services — the State agency's own TEFAP page (checked 2026-10-10).
- FDACS: TEFAP eligibility requirements for households (checked 2026-10-10)
- FDACS: 2026 TEFAP income eligibility guidelines (checked 2026-10-10)
Who qualifies: the income limit
Household income at or below 300% of the federal poverty guidelines (official table: Palm Beach County Food Bank certification 7/2026). Households in these programs qualify without an income test:
- SNAP
- TANF
- SSI
- Medicaid
| Household size | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $47,880 | $3,990 |
| 2 | $64,920 | $5,410 |
| 3 | $81,960 | $6,830 |
| 4 | $99,000 | $8,250 |
| 5 | $116,040 | $9,670 |
| 6 | $133,080 | $11,090 |
| 7 | $150,120 | $12,510 |
| 8 | $167,160 | $13,930 |
| Each additional person | +$17,040 |
The eligibility declaration
Form: Certification of Eligibility to Take Food Home (food bank template). How often: once a year. Clients self-declare; proof of income is not required.
What to record at each visit
- name
- household_size
- county
- zip
- basis
- signature
- date
Client signature at every pickup: Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents). Electronic signatures: Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents).
Proxies
optional proxy authorization on the certification.
How long to keep records
Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents). The federal minimum is 3 years from the end of the federal fiscal year (7 CFR 251.10(a)(5)).
Civil rights
Complaints: no local forwarding deadline is published — forward promptly. Anyone may complain, in writing or verbally, without giving a name. Training: Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents).
Reporting
Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents).
Storage temperatures
Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents).
Also
- 2026 food-bank form adds a U.S. citizen / qualified alien attestation citing EO 14218.
Where the sources disagree
- FDACS page unreadable; food-bank forms only; 2024-25 template said 130%.
Ask your food bank which one they monitor against.
Sources
TEFAP in nearby States
TEFAP in Alabama · TEFAP in Georgia · all States