Goal - The goal of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program (FFVP) is to increase children's consumption of fruits and vegetables by providing a fresh fruit and/or vegetable snack every day at school for free.  An environmental change, the FFVP increases the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in the school environment and increases student's consumption.  The World Health Organization recognizes the FFVP as an effective strategy to reduce childhood obesity.

 

Public Health Reach - Over 1.4 million school children will benefit from the FFVP this school year.  More than 3 million school children will benefit from the FFVP in 2 years.

 

Expanded to all 50 States - The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program, first started as a pilot in 2002, was recently expanded nationally to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories. In the 2008 Farm Bill Congress provided $1.2 billion over the next 10 years in mandatory funding for the FFVP. By federal statute, the FFVP targets only elementary schools with a high proportion of low-income students.

 

Funding Increases Annually to Reach More Students in More Schools - In total, $1.2 billion is available over the next 10 years to implement the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program. The federal funding increases annually; allowing more students in more schools to benefit:

• $49 million for school year 2008-09
• $72.5 million for school year 2009-10
• $101 million for school year 2010-11
• $150 million for school year 2011-12
• $150 million + index for school years 2012 and beyond

State Funding Allocations - Each state, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories is eligible to receive a specific amount of funding annually from the United States Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service to implement the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program. A state's funding allocation determines how many schools in each state can receive funds to implement the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program.

Funding for Each State Will Increase Annually - Each state's funding will increase annually, allowing more schools and more students to benefit. Based on the total funds available in the 2008 Farm Bill, it is anticipated that funding for each state will double in two years (2010-2011 school year) and triple in three years (2011-2012 school year).

Program Administered By USDA and State Child Nutrition Program - The FFVP program is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service through State Child Nutrition Programs.

School Eligibility Criteria - Funding for the FFVP is targeted specifically to elementary schools with more than 50 % of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch. Each State must give priority to schools with the highest percentage of students eligible for free and reduced price meals. Elementary schools interested in applying for funds to implement the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack program should contact the child nutrition division of their state's department of education to request applications and specific information.

State Implementation - Each state's Child Nutrition Program administers the FFVP. Schools are selected from applications. Eligible schools must apply for funding and are selected by the state. Elementary schools interested in applying for funds to implement the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack program should contact the child nutrition division of their state's department of education to request applications and specific information.

School Implementation - Participating schools receive between $50-75 per student per year to provide the fresh fruit and vegetable snack to their students. The actual funding amount is determined by each state. No less than 90% of the funds a school receives must be used to purchase the fresh fruits and vegetables to serve as snacks.

Each school decides what specific fresh fruits and vegetables to serve to the students as snacks. Schools can purchase a wide variety of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. Each school or school district decides where to purchase the fresh fruits and vegetables: e.g. from produce wholesalers, supermarkets, farmers markets or directly from growers. Many schools work with multiple produce vendors throughout the school year.

Most elementary schools offer the fresh fruit and/or vegetable snack to students in the mid-morning; however some offer it in the mid-afternoon. The FFVP operates separately from the School Breakfast and School Lunch Programs. An evaluation of the FFVP will be conducted via a contract with USDA/FNS. 

Opportunity to Provide Great Tasting Fresh Fruits and Vegetables to Schools
To ensure program success it is critically important that schools purchase and serve high quality, great tasting fresh fruits and vegetables to their students. For the produce and retail industry this is a great opportunity to partner with funded schools to provide high quality fresh fruits and vegetable that children will enjoy eating.

Immediate Behavior Change - The FFVP results in almost immediate behavior change.  Over the last seven years, the FFVP has proven to be a model for increasing children's consumption of fruits and vegetables, decreasing their purchase of soda, chips and candy, and a catalyst for creating healthier school food environments.  Participating schools report increased consumption of fruits and vegetables in the lunch program.  Children experience the great taste of a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, start to eat more, and begin to positively influence their family's eating habits.  Schools also report their students have improved cognition, longer attention spans, are less hungry throughout the day, visit the nurse less and have fewer behavioral problems.  The FFVP delivers tremendous benefits to children, their families and schools.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Programs are a model for:

1. Increasing children's consumption of fruits and vegetables
2. Decreasing their purchase of soda, chips and candy
3. Creating healthier school food environments

Vision - Congressional champions are committed to expanding the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program to all elementary school students within the next 10 years.

Global Strategy for Reducing Childhood Obesity - The World Health Organization has recognized school fruit and vegetable snack programs are an effective school-based strategy to improve children's health and reduce obesity. Many countries around the world, including Norway, New Zealand, Canada's British Columbia, England, Ireland, The Netherlands, France and Denmark have successfully implemented Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Programs, also known as School Fruit Schemes. Recently the European Commission provided €90 million a year to expand School Fruit Schemes to the 27 European Union Countries.