The USDA announced a nationwide expansion of its “Team Up for School Nutrition Success Initiative” to provide additional help to school districts to meet food requirements. “The initiative will provide school-nutrition personnel across the country tailored technical assistance and peer-to-peer counseling,” said USDA. “This allows schools to address their individual resource and training needs.” The initiative began as a pilot project in the Southeast last year. The announcement was the latest in a series by the USDA to bolster the school-food program. On Friday, the department allotted $25 million in grants to help schools buy new equipment to prepare and serve food. Congress is due to reauthorize child-nutrition programs, including school lunch, this year.