The United Fresh Produce Association announced today that it will feature a salad bar at its Fresh Festival event, September 9, in the Cannon House Office Building during the association’s Washington Public Policy Conference, September 9-11. The salad bar, stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, will underscore the need for lawmakers to support United Fresh’s initiative to promote a national school salad bar policy in the upcoming Child Nutrition Act.
          "This is certainly a great opportunity to advance policy that directly affects the health of so many young Americans," said United Fresh Vice President of Nutrition and Health Dr. Lorelei DiSogra. "Having a salad bar in front of so many lawmakers shows them how salad bars can be an effective tool for increasing produce consumption and promoting healthy eating habits among students."
          Capitalizing on the success and nationwide expansion of the Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program, United Fresh looks to build on kids’ love of fruits and vegetables with a salad bar in more than 100,000 schools across the United States.
          "Research has proven that, when presented with the option of a salad bar, children will increase their intake of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables," said DiSogra. "We are hoping that by providing the same options to lawmakers in the House and Senate, salad bars will become a standard feature in every school cafeteria."
          Following the public policy conference, United Fresh will donate the equipment to a Washington-area school.
          "United is pleased to contribute our salad bar to a local school," said Ray Gilmer, United’s vice president of communications. "Working with District of Columbia school officials, we will track the salad bar’s impact on students’ produce consumption and demonstrate to policymakers the efficacy of the salad bar strategy."
          The Washington Public Policy Conference is the largest produce industry event of its kind, which attracts more than 350 produce industry leaders from throughout the supply chain. The conference features a keynote presentation by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, a march on Capitol Hill to visit more than 140 congressional offices, a town hall meeting at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and numerous other events.
          The Fresh Festival, September 9, 5:30 p.m., is a signature event of United’s conference during which Capitol Hill lawmakers and staff can sample fresh produce from the industry’s leading companies.
          For more information about the National School Salad Bar Policy, please contact Dr. DiSograat 202-303-3400. For more on the Washington Public Policy Conference, please contact Angela Bezon at 202-303-3400 ext. 416.