Better Food, Better Kids

Child nutrition has been talk of the town recently, with obesity rates way up among infants and children, and health-minded parents feeling more concerned about the sustenance their kids are offered at school. Now, lobbying for better school nutrition is nothing new. I recall years past at the annual Natural Products Association (NPA) Lobby Day in Washington, when we tried to persuade our representatives to support whatever school nutrition bill was introduced that session.

There have been recent successes in this effort by the Senate and the House to reauthorize funds for improved child nutrition programs. First, the Senate unanimously passed Senate Ag, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman Blanche Lincoln’s (D-Ark.) Healthy Hunger-free kids Act of 2010, which earmarks additional funding of $4.5 billion for programs like school meals, child care nutrition and WIC (Women, Infants and Children). This figure is a bit shy of the $10 billion mark advocated by President Obama and First Lady Michelle via their Let’s Move initiative, but the bill’s passage is a good sign. Amplifying this message, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) introduced the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act of 2010, which is based on the packaged passed in the Senate.

Oen of the most outspoken supporting groups has been chefs. Television personality, chef and child nutrition activist Rachael Ray joined Miller on Capitol Hill to introduce the new legislation. Another culinary supporter is Plano, TX-based Chef Ash Sengson, who recently participated in Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools program, which aims to have chefs adopt local schools and help address nutrition and obesity. And for those who missed famous chef Jamie Oliver’s television show Food Revolution, you really must find a way to catch reruns, buy the DVD 9not sure it is available) or find it on the internet. Start here at Jamie’s site.

Another vocal supporter of these child nutrition bills is the United Fresh Produce Association. I’ve been to a United Fresh conference, and these folks are passionate about changing this nutrition and obesity problem in our nation’s youth. In fact, at the event I attended, I was also fortunate enough to witness a presentation from USDA’s Tom Vilsack, who was also impassioned on this issue of child health.

United Fresh’s president and CEO Tom Stenzel issued a statement praising the new legislative efforts and gains:

          “United Fresh commends Education and Labor Committee Chairman Miller for introducing a bill that will improve the quality of schools meals and provide schools with additional funds to serve more fruits and vegetables at lunch. We echo USDA Secretary Vilsack’s plea to Congress that ‘we simply must pass this critical legislation this year, for the future of our children.’ United Fresh is especially pleased to see that Chairman Miller has proposed a six-cent increase in the reimbursement rate for school lunch and tied this increase to meeting requirements proposed by the Institute of Medicine, as well as recognizing that schools need additional funding for new cafeteria equipment. Both of these inclusions ensure that schools have the ability to serve more fresh fruits and vegetables. Also this legislation establishes updated nutrition standards for all foods served in schools. United Fresh calls upon the House and the Senate to quickly reauthorize the Child Nutrition Programs before September 30, 2010. Passing this legislation is critical to the health of our nation’s schoolchildren.”

So, let your customers know of these efforts, and urge them to contact their representation in Congress and ask them to supoprt this legislation.