SNA, Pew differ on school meal waiver provision in House bill as first lady attempts to rally supporters
May 19, 2014 | 02:19 PM
The School Nutrition Association is supporting changes to the school meals programs made in the draft of the House 2015 Agriculture appropriations bill while the Pew Charitable Trusts is opposing it.
In the fiscal year 2014 Agriculture appropriations bill, Congress used report language to urge USDA to grant a waiver to schools that said they could not comply with the regulations under the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.
But Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said that USDA could not follow report language because the basic school meals law forbids waivers from nutrition standards.
The bill contains the following language:
“SEC. 739. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a process by which a State shall grant a waiver from compliance with the final regulations published by the Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on January 26, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 4088 et seq.) for the 2014-15 school year to any school food authority located in the State that verifies a net loss from operating a food service program for a period of at least 6 months that begins on or after July 1, 2013.” (See link for the Federal Register notice.)
The School Nutrition Association, which represents school meal preparers, announced today that it supports the school meal language in the bill.
“The bill contains language requiring USDA to give school meal programs that have been operating at a net loss for at least six months the opportunity to apply for a one-year waiver from compliance with costly meal pattern requirements,” SNA said in a news release.
Leah Schmidt
SNA President Leah Schmidt said:
“School Nutrition Association strongly supports establishing a one-year waiver process to provide temporary relief to school meal programs struggling to manage the cost of meeting school meal standards.
“School nutrition professionals have been on the front lines working to improve school menus, offer a wider variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and encouraging students to make healthier choices in the cafeteria. However, since these standards took effect, more than one million fewer students choose school lunch each day, reducing revenue for school meal programs already struggling to manage the increased cost of preparing meals under the new standards.
“A temporary waiver would ease the burden on school meal programs, preventing more schools from dropping out of the National School Lunch Program altogether, until Congress can fully discuss these challenges as part of Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2015.”
For a list of SNA’s requests to Congress, see link below.
Jessica Donze Black
The Pew Charitable Trusts, which campaigned for changes to school meals to make them healthier, said it opposes this provision.
Jessica Donze Black, an expert with Pew’s initiative on child nutrition, issued this statement:
“We are disappointed that the House Agriculture appropriations bill includes a provision that would weaken national nutrition standards for foods served in schools. While we commend the subcommittee for including grants to fund school equipment needed to serve healthy meals, it is unfortunate that the House would consider letting schools opt out of efforts to improve the health of children served through these programs.
“Promoting the health of the nation’s children must remain the top priority of the National School Lunch Program, just as it is for the vast majority of voters, who support strengthening nutrition standards in schools. We know that strong school nutrition standards are an effective strategy to prevent childhood obesity and the lifelong health problems it can create. We urge the House Appropriations Committee to drop this provision from the bill so that we may continue the progress that so many schools have made.
“Ninety percent of schools already report that they are meeting USDA’s updated nutrition standards for school lunches. Turning back now would be a costly mistake.”
“The USDA is listening to school leaders, parents, and students and has demonstrated that areas of concern — such as limits on servings of proteins and grains — can be addressed without new legislation.”
First Lady Michelle Obama attempted to rally supporters of the rule today in a telephone call, the Associated Press reported.
The call to supporters was off the record, but a White House official today confirmed that “the first lady and ‘Let’s Move’ Executive Director Sam Kass held a call today with advocacy groups to discuss ongoing efforts around school nutrition and the significant advancements we have made to make it easier for families to raise healthy kids.”
▪ Federal Register — USDA Food and Nutrition Service - Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; Final Rule — January 26, 2012 ▪ School Nutrition Association — Protect School Meal Programs: Relax regulations so schools can prepare healthy meals that students will eat ▪ Associated Press — House GOP would roll back school lunch rules
In the fiscal year 2014 Agriculture appropriations bill, Congress used report language to urge USDA to grant a waiver to schools that said they could not comply with the regulations under the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.
But Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said that USDA could not follow report language because the basic school meals law forbids waivers from nutrition standards.
The bill contains the following language:
“SEC. 739. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a process by which a State shall grant a waiver from compliance with the final regulations published by the Department of Agriculture in the Federal Register on January 26, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 4088 et seq.) for the 2014-15 school year to any school food authority located in the State that verifies a net loss from operating a food service program for a period of at least 6 months that begins on or after July 1, 2013.” (See link for the Federal Register notice.)
The School Nutrition Association, which represents school meal preparers, announced today that it supports the school meal language in the bill.
“The bill contains language requiring USDA to give school meal programs that have been operating at a net loss for at least six months the opportunity to apply for a one-year waiver from compliance with costly meal pattern requirements,” SNA said in a news release.
SNA President Leah Schmidt said:
“School Nutrition Association strongly supports establishing a one-year waiver process to provide temporary relief to school meal programs struggling to manage the cost of meeting school meal standards.
“School nutrition professionals have been on the front lines working to improve school menus, offer a wider variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and encouraging students to make healthier choices in the cafeteria. However, since these standards took effect, more than one million fewer students choose school lunch each day, reducing revenue for school meal programs already struggling to manage the increased cost of preparing meals under the new standards.
“A temporary waiver would ease the burden on school meal programs, preventing more schools from dropping out of the National School Lunch Program altogether, until Congress can fully discuss these challenges as part of Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2015.”
For a list of SNA’s requests to Congress, see link below.
The Pew Charitable Trusts, which campaigned for changes to school meals to make them healthier, said it opposes this provision.
Jessica Donze Black, an expert with Pew’s initiative on child nutrition, issued this statement:
“We are disappointed that the House Agriculture appropriations bill includes a provision that would weaken national nutrition standards for foods served in schools. While we commend the subcommittee for including grants to fund school equipment needed to serve healthy meals, it is unfortunate that the House would consider letting schools opt out of efforts to improve the health of children served through these programs.
“Promoting the health of the nation’s children must remain the top priority of the National School Lunch Program, just as it is for the vast majority of voters, who support strengthening nutrition standards in schools. We know that strong school nutrition standards are an effective strategy to prevent childhood obesity and the lifelong health problems it can create. We urge the House Appropriations Committee to drop this provision from the bill so that we may continue the progress that so many schools have made.
“Ninety percent of schools already report that they are meeting USDA’s updated nutrition standards for school lunches. Turning back now would be a costly mistake.”
“The USDA is listening to school leaders, parents, and students and has demonstrated that areas of concern — such as limits on servings of proteins and grains — can be addressed without new legislation.”
First Lady Michelle Obama attempted to rally supporters of the rule today in a telephone call, the Associated Press reported.
The call to supporters was off the record, but a White House official today confirmed that “the first lady and ‘Let’s Move’ Executive Director Sam Kass held a call today with advocacy groups to discuss ongoing efforts around school nutrition and the significant advancements we have made to make it easier for families to raise healthy kids.”
▪ Federal Register — USDA Food and Nutrition Service - Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; Final Rule — January 26, 2012 ▪ School Nutrition Association — Protect School Meal Programs: Relax regulations so schools can prepare healthy meals that students will eat ▪ Associated Press — House GOP would roll back school lunch rules
