The proposed rule has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget, indicating the next step in rulemaking. This proposed rule would codify the two provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (Pub. L. 111-296; the Act) under 7 CFR parts 210 and 220. Section 203 requires schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to make available to children free of charge, as nutritionally appropriate, potable water for consumption in the place where meals are served during meal service. Section 208 requires the Secretary to promulgate proposed regulations to establish science-based nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools not later than December 13, 2011. The nutrition standards would apply to all food sold outside the school meal programs, on the school campus, and at any time during the school day. The Congressional Budget Office determined these provisions would incur no Federal cost and that the provisions in this proposed rulemaking would result in better nutrition for all school children. To read more, click here.
SNA is pleased to announce the randomly selected winners of the Competitive Foods Sweepstakes! For submitting comments to USDA on the proposed Competitive Foods Rule and then entering the SNA sweepstakes, Barbara Griffiths of St. Paul, MN and Janet Sklar of Bay Shore, NY have won a trip for two to LAC 2014. The trip includes airfare, hotel, and registration to LAC 2014 for two people as well as a VIP table for the winner and attendees from their state. By submitting comments to USDA, Ms. Griffiths and Ms. Sklar added to their voices to the over 240,000 comments received on the proposed competitive foods rule. Congratulations again to our winners!
The US Department of Agriculture recently released paid lunch price data for School Year 2011 – 2012. School Food Authorities reported their most frequently charged prices for elementary, middle/junior high and high school levels. The data is available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet at this link.
SNA members are encouraged to use this data to demonstrate the significant number of school districts impacted by Section 205, the paid meal equity provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. SNA is calling on Congress to support H.R. 1303, the School Nutrition Flexibility Act, which would amend Section 205 to apply only to those School Food Authorities that have a negative fund balance at the end of the previous school year. H.R. 1303 would also permanently eliminate the new meal pattern’s grain/protein maximums.
The Association continues to urge all members to contact their Senators and Members of Congress to ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1303 and the Senate companion bill, S. 427. If you have not already done so, please click here for SNA’s action alert.
USDA’s memo regarding the paid lunch price data release can be found at this link.
USDA, in partnership with The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has announced the first public meeting of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to be held on June 13, 2013 (Thursday) from 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. EDT and June 14, 2013 (Friday) from 8:30 a.m.–3:45 p.m. The meeting will take place at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD. The 15 members of the 2015 DGAC, appointed by HHS and USDA, have been identified and the full press release can be found here. The meeting will be accessible by webcast on the Internet or by attendance in-person. For more information, including how to access the webcast or attend in person, please visit www.dietaryguidelines.gov.