Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

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For more than a decade, United Fresh has been the lead advocate for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). FFVP provides four million students in our nation’s lowest income elementary schools with a fresh fruit or vegetable snack three to five days a week. Funding is distributed to states on a formula basis, and state agencies select participating schools through an application process. FFVP schools collaborate with their produce distributors to provide students with a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks throughout the school year.

Extensive evaluation has been conducted on FFVP – establishing it as a catalyst for creating healthier school food environments by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and introducing students to a wider variety of fresh fruits and vegetables – all while not increasing students’ overall caloric intake. One study found that FFVP reduced obesity in participating children and the World Health Organization recognizes FFVP as effective global strategies to improve nutrition and reduce obesity.

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Funding

Fiscal Year 2020 funding to states: $193.5 million.

Policy

FFVP is a unique program in that jurisdiction for its operation and funding fall within two legislative bills: the Farm Bill and Child Nutrition Reauthorization. Both are considered by Congress in different five year cycles.

The 2014 Farm Bill included a pilot allowing states and schools to opt-in to serving all forms (fresh, canned, dried and frozen). The results of the pilot’s evaluation found that most schools chose not to participate in serving all forms and in those that did, overall consumption of all fruits and vegetables went down during both during the snack and at mealtime. The most commonly consumed CFD products in pilot schools were dried raisins and cranberries and canned mandarin oranges.

United Fresh supports continued funding for FFVP, and maintaining the program as fresh only. Please click on your state below to see how the program affects your state.