The Healthy-Hunger Free Kids Act
In December 2010, Congress finalized passage of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act. This bill reauthorizes the Child Nutrition Act legislation that is taken up by Congress every five years to fund the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs and other important child nutrition programs that have the potential to impact the produce industry.
The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act was a bi-partisan bill that represents the first time in more than 30 years Congress has increased the federal reimbursement rate for school lunch ($.06/meal). This increase will make it possible for schools to serve healthier meals that include more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The bill includes provisions toimprove the healthfulness of school meals and create healthier school food environments that will increase student’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The legislation also creates national nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold in school vending machines, school stores and a la carte cafeteria lines, providing new opportunities for fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetable options to be available at school.
President Obama signed the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act into law on December 13, 2010.
The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act also represents the legislative centerpiece of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to combat childhood obesity within a generation.
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USDA Proposed Rule: Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
In January 2011, USDA issued a proposed rule to updated nutrition standards for school meals with the goal of aligning school meals with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Essentially, the proposed rule would double the amount of fruits and vegetables served in school meals. The proposed rule would also require both a fruit and a vegetable be served at lunch and require schools to serve a colorful variety of vegetable every week. One of the biggest and more egregious concerns in the proposed rule would be the limitation of starchy vegetables, including white potatoes and corn, to only one cup per week.
United Fresh’s comments on the proposed rule reflect broad outreach in the industry and allied partners to craft consistent message about both the positive aspects of the proposed rule and highlight our significant concerns. The 90 day public comment period ended on April 13, 2011 and it is estimated that more than 150,000 comments were submitted to USDA. USDA intends to issue a final interim rule by early 2012 and is expected to require the 101,000 schools nation-wide to implement the new nutrition standards by the 2012-13 school year.
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