United Fresh Board member Lorri Koster, lower left, speaks with Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA), second from left, and USDA's Dr. Janey Thornton during a tour of a lettuce operation in the Salinas Valley Tuesday.

Dr. Janey Thornton, USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services and U.S. Representative Sam Farr (D-CA) visited with schools and businesses in the Salinas Valley last Thursday as part of a tour organized by past Grower-Shipper Association of Central California chair, Mann Packing Company co-chairman and United Fresh board member Lorri Koster. Dr. Thornton oversees the federal school meals programs, SNAP (food stamps), WIC and other federal nutrition programs.

The first stop for Dr. Thornton and Rep. Farr was a breakfast meeting with United Fresh and Grower-Shipper Association members and foodservice distributors allowing members to share the message of the importance of increased fruit and vegetable consumption. During the breakfast at Rancho Cielo, a campus for troubled youth that participates in the summer feeding program, Salinas - area companies were able to share 'real world' examples of how the produce industry can adapt to school foodservice budget and portion challenges with new products as well as showcasing a distribution network that spans from major cities to rural populations.

After a field tour to a Salinas Valley whole-leaf processing center, Dr. Thornton, Rep. Farr and Koster continued on for lunch at Calabasas Elementary School in Watsonville, a new participant in the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program for 2010-2011. Throughout the school lunch and Food and Nutrition Policy Roundtable that followed, Rep. Farr shared the message of how programs like the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program and United’s new A Salad Bar in Every School campaign help children develop healthier eating habits.

United Fresh thanks Rep. Farr, Koster and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, and all members who participated in this valuable event. For additional information on United’s child nutrition priorities, contact Vice President of Nutrition and Health Dr. Lorelei DiSogra at 202-303-3400, ext. 403.