School Nutrition Association
School-food group asks for 35 cents more per meal
Senate Ag chairman: no new funding for child nutrition
The Senate Agriculture Committee chairman said he does not plan any increase in spending as part of re-authorizing child nutrition programs that range from school lunch to WIC. Kansas Republican Pat Roberts postponed indefinitely a bill-drafting session, originally scheduled for Thursday, while awaiting Congressional Budget Office estimates of the cost of potential elements of the bill.
Vilsack: Healthy school meals, greater access to food are vital
Despite political polarization, Congress should keep child nutrition programs rolling towards healthier school meals and making the food available to more youngsters, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in spelling out his goals for reauthorization of the programs.
Time running out for school lunch, ag bills during fall session
At a news conference today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will kick off the drive for renewal of child-nutrition programs that almost certainly will miss the Sept. 30 deadline for reauthorization.
Food companies on board with healthy school food
Politico’s Helena Bottemiller Evich examined how food companies that were once fighting healthier school-nutrition standards are now embracing them because of profits derived from churning out healthier fare.
Vilsack touts school-meals program as reauthorization debate looms
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack kicks off his campaign for reauthorization of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which is set to expire on Sept. 30. It is one of the major agenda items when Congress returns from its August recess.
Students select – and waste – more fruits, veggies for lunch
Digital imaging of lunchtime at two elementary schools showed more students putting fruits and vegetables on their cafeteria trays, a goal of the 2010 school-lunch reforms. But they also ate less of the fruits and vegetables and discarded more, says a study by University of Vermont scientists.
School lunch factions meet, look for solutions
Obama administration officials suggested additional steps to help schools meet requirements to serve healthier meals during an hour-long meeting with nutrition, school and consumer groups. Sam Kass, senior nutrition advisor at the White House, said it was a "positive discussion" and Wendy Weyer of the School Nutrition Association said the meeting was "very solutions-oriented."
SNA says “no” to White House nutrition advisor Sam Kass
The School Nutrition Association turned down a request by Sam Kass, White House nutrition policy advisor, to speak at this week's national conference, attended by 6,500 people working in the school food industry, says Politico. SNA chief executive Patricia Montague says Kass, in a message passed through USDA, asked to speak at the conference "to rally the troops" on rules requiring healthier school meals.
Senate ag chairman says “flexibility” is key for school-food bill
Senate Agriculture chairman Pat Roberts says the word he hears again and again is "flexibility" when the topic is renewal of U.S. child nutrition programs that cost $21 billion a year.
School-lunch debate – 25 calories apart?
The school lunch reforms of 2010 resulted in skimpy meals that leave high school students hungry, says House Education Committee chairman John Kline, who wants to give school districts "the flexibility they need to fulfill the promise of child nutrition assistance."
Schools seek less paperwork, more money for meals
South Dakota's secretary of education told a House Education subcommittee that schools are swamped by too much paperwork from the federal school food program. A school board president from Indiana said some students smuggle in salt and pepper to season the bland meals served at school...
Roberts plans “big-picture discussion” of school food rules
Senate Agriculture chairman Pat Roberts says that, as part of reauthorizing school lunch and other child nutrition programs, he plans to "have a big-picture discussion on how to retain the great advancements that some schools have made, and to allow other districts to meet the challenges."
Senator would block salt, whole-grain rules for school lunch
North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven says he will try to block the stricter salt and whole-grain requirements proposed for the school-lunch program. The senator's proposal is backed by the School Nutrition Association, whose members run the school-meals programs.
School food members disagree over lunch waivers
Some 86 members of the School Nutrition Association, whose members oversee school food programs, have signed a letter against waivers from requirements to serve healthier meals, says Marion Nestle at Food Politics.
Roberts to see what’s cooking in Kansas school cafeteria
Senate Agriculture chairman Pat Roberts plans to eat lunch at Mill Valley High School in Shawnee, Kan, today to see "what works and what doesn't" in the school food program.
Parents strongly support school food standards, poll says
Retired military brass to work against school lunch waiver
Mission: Readiness, composed of retired military officers, plans to lobby lawmakers against a school lunch waiver when Congress re-convenes after Labor Day, says Politico.