In case you missed yesterday’s conference call w/ the First Lady, here’s what Marion Nestle has to say about it…
Food Politics
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Update on Congress vs. school nutrition standards
Posted: 20 May 2014 05:40 AM PDT The
Associated Press reported that First Lady Michelle Obama rallied supporters of the
USDA’s nutrition standards for school meals in an off-the-record telephone call “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.” Today the House Committee on Appropriations is
doing its markup on the
agricultural appropriations bill. This is likely to overturn nutrition standards established by scientific experts in order to:
§
Reverse USDA’s nutrition standards for school meals.
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Reverse the exclusion of white potatoes from the WIC package. As
Politico puts it,
As I see it, the food industry couldn’t get its way through the usual rulemaking processes, so it did an end run and got Congress to overturn
the work of no less than three committees of the Institute of Medicine. USDA Secretary
Tom Vilsack explains what’s at stake:
In an e-mail, the Pew Charitable Trusts wrote: We are disappointed that the House agriculture appropriations bill includes a provision that would weaken national nutrition standards for
foods served in schools…it is unfortunate that the House would consider letting schools opt out of efforts to improve the health of children served through these program…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 School
Nutrition Association disagrees. In its version of reality, “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.” To this,
Claire Benjamin of Food Policy Action, asks:
Other responses:
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The National
WIC Association says “Don’t let Congress pick WIC foods.”
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United
Fresh asks Congress to make no changes to the fruit and vegetable provisions.
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The National
Potato Council says “we want in.” Write your Congressional representatives and ask them to leave nutrition standards to scientists, not food companies with vested interests
in selling their products to government food assistance programs. Additions, May 20:
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American Public Health Association letter
to Congress signed by numerous state and national organizations
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Washington
Post story (I’m quoted)
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The
Hill story: “GOP Takes on Michelle Obama“
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Alliance for a Healthier Generation
statement in support of school nutrition standards (Interesting: this is a food-industry supported group).
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USDA says
it will allow more flexibility in the controversial whole grain requirement |
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