European Commission Approves

 €90 Million/Year for School Fruit

 Scheme

 

Landmark Victory for European Children and the

 Produce Industry

 

In a groundbreaking decision today, the European Commission (EC) approved the European Union’s (EU) School Fruit Scheme (SFS), providing €90 million ($113 million) per year to allow all 27 EU countries to implement school fruit and vegetable snack programs. With final approval from the EC’s Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels this week, so culminates more than a year and a half of intense planning and policy work under the leadership of the EC’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) Commissioner Marianne Fischer Bols, Director General Lars Hoelgaard, and Felix Mittermayer. 

 

Together with colleagues at Brussels, Belgium-based Freshfel and European public health organizations, United Fresh played a leadership role in building a strong policy case for these funds with the DG AGRI.  United Fresh vice president of nutrition and health Dr. Lorelei DiSogra is slated to deliver a keynote address at the EC’s Promoting School Fruit Schemes in the European Union Conference in Brussels, December 15-16. Over 400 representatives from all 27 EU member countries and the produce industry are scheduled to attend. Dr. DiSogra will emphasize the public health benefits of providing a fresh fruit or vegetable snack to children every day at school and encourage member countries to adopt best practices. She will be one of only two Americans invited to participate. “School fresh fruit and vegetable snack programs are recognized as a global strategy to combat childhood obesity, and political support is now translating into funding to bring these benefits to more children around the world. I am thrilled that the EC has approved the funding for the SFS. It’s been an honor to work with DG AGRI and my European public health colleagues on this critically important child nutrition policy initiative. As an association, we’ve worked tirelessly to bring this program to schools across the US and it is great to see it expand throughout Europe,” she said.

 

The SFS, as outlined in the Strategy for Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity and Related Health Issues, aims to encourage children to eat more fruits and vegetables and continue these healthier eating habits into adult life. Funding will become available to member countries for the 2009-10 school year following acceptance of an implementation plan from each country.   

 

For more information on the SFS or the December conference, please contact Dr. DiSogra at ldisogra@unitedfresh.org or 202-303-3400.