Policies

NOURISHING THE NATION ONE TRAY AT A TIME

Improving school meals through farm to school policy in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization

Where do children spend most of their waking lives for 13 years and eat at least 35 to 40 percent of their daily calories? School.

The Child Nutrition Act reauthorization is the perfect opportunity to enable more schools—and more children—to benefit from the healthy meals and educational opportunities that farm to school programs can provide.

School meals are a vital part of our responsibility to ensure the health and wellbeing of future generations. Farm to school programs ensure that our children eat the freshest, highest-quality food available. These programs deliver food that not only nourishes children’s bodies immediately, but also knowledge that enhances their educational experience and cultivates long-term healthy eating habits. They are a win-win for kids, farmers, communities, educators, parents, and the environment.

The policy recommendations we offer are solutions that are fair to American children, schools, farmers, food producers, and communities. The following explains the three most effective ways Washington can rebalance the way American children eat in schools: http://www.farmtoschool.org/files/publications_192.pdf

FARM TO SCHOOL IN THE HOUSE

On February 26, 2010, Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) introduced H.R. 4710: The Farm to School Improvements Act of 2010, a bill requesting $50 million (over five years) in MANDATORY funding for farm to school programs. Download the fact sheet.

FARM TO SCHOOL IN THE SENATE

On March 16, 2010, Senator Patrick Leahy (VT) introduced S. 3123: Growing Farm To School Programs Act, a bill requesting $50 million in mandatory funding for farm to school programs.

WHAT DOES H.R. 4710 and S. 3123 DO?

Both bills would establish a competitive grant and technical assistance program to increase the use of local foods from small and medium sized farms in schools. The legislation would provide $50 million in mandatory funding for the duration of the program and require that grant recipients provide a local match to ensure serious commitment to the project.

This competitive grant program is designed to:
·Improve the nutritional health and well being of children;
·Support experiential nutrition education activities;
·Procure local foods from small and medium-sized farms;
·Increase farm income by facilitating farmers' access to institutional markets including schools; and
·Develop a sustained commitment to farm to school programs in the community.

What can you do? Contact your Congress person today to encourage action on and passage of HR 4710 and S.3123.

Learn more here.

Resources:

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Resources:

· Farm to School in the House

· Farm to School Talking Points

· Frequently Asked Questions About the Farm to School Policy Ask

· $50 Million Mandatory for Farm to School--Information for Legislators

· Nourishing the Nation One Tray at a Time

· Child Nutrition Backgrounder

· Child Nutrition Priorities

· Child Nutrition USDA Listening Session Digest

· Child Nutrition Timeline

Together, we represent millions of Americans supporting policy solutions that restore the right of all children to access good food in school; that educate and inform communities about healthy food and its impact on the wellbeing of children; and that connect farmers, school districts, food service companies, and great ideas to the food system delivering school lunch.

Every four or five years, there is an opportunity for all of those concerned with the health of our nation’s children to evaluate, defend, and improve the federal Child Nutrition Programs. Nourishing kids and community is the promise of farm to school. With the authorization of the National Farm to School Program in 2004, and the tremendous growth and interest in farm to school programs, the time is ripe to support that promise and voice ideas that include locally and regionally grown foods in national meal programs.

For more information on the priorities of the National Farm to School Network, please contact Debra Eschmeyer at deb@onetray.org, or 202-450-6074.

gardening School food, nutrition, and physical activity policies are excellent ways that schools and school districts can institutionalize their commitment to providing students with the tools and knowledge they need to live healthy lives now and in the future. Many schools and districts have already passed their own nutrition policies. Here you can read these policies and think about the needs in your own community and what your schools can offer. Every student needs and deserves access to nutrition education, healthy meals, and physical activity, a food policy is one way in which schools can help ensure that this is provided for the students of today and tomorrow.