The US government has introduced new child nutrition reauthorization legislation (the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act) in a move which is designed to dramatically improve the quality of meals children eat at both school and child care settings, as well as establish nutrition standards for all food sold in schools.
The legislation supports key health movements advocated by President Obama’s Administration and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to improve child nutrition and reduce childhood obesity.
United Fresh Produce Association President and CEO Tom Stenzel applauded the bill’s provisions for increasing reimbursement rates for healthier school meals and additional monies for cafeteria equipment, and calling on members of the House to expedite the bill’s passage.
“United Fresh commends Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller for introducing a bill that will improve the quality of schools meals and provide schools with additional funds to serve more fruits and vegetables at lunch,” Mr Stenzel said.
“We echo USDA Secretary Vilsack’s plea to Congress that ‘we simply must pass this critical legislation this year, for the future of our children.’
“United Fresh is especially pleased to see that Chairman Miller has proposed a US$0.06 increase in the reimbursement rate for school lunches and tied this increase to meeting requirements proposed by the Institute of Medicine, as well as recognizing that schools need additional funding for new cafeteria equipment.”
Mr Stenzel said both of these inclusions ensure that schools have the ability to serve more fresh fruits and vegetables. Also this legislation establishes updated nutrition standards for all foods served in schools.
United Fresh has called upon the House and the Senate to quickly reauthorize the Child Nutrition Programs before 30 September 2010.
“Passing this legislation is critical to the health of our nation’s schoolchildren,” concluded Mr Stenzel.
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