Congress is currently negotiating a budget reconciliation package that offers new funding for a broad range of issues important to farm to school and early care and education stakeholders. With a tentative funding level of $3.5 trillion, Congressional committees and leadership are in the process of finalizing details of specific program funding. This bill is a rare opportunity to secure significant new funding and advance equity in child nutrition, education, worker protections, rural communities, and climate-resilient agriculture.
One of the most important provisions, outlined by the House Committee on Education and Labor, would make tremendous progress toward universal school meals by offering a state Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), lowering the threshold of low-income kids for individual districts, and increasing the reimbursement offered through CEP.
See more details on these provisions in our blog post from earlier this week.
We anticipate pressure on Congressional leaders to reduce the overall price of this legislation, forcing cuts to these initiatives. Now is the time for your Members of Congress to hear from you that they need to fight for bold measures to advance equity for our kids, their families, and their communities.
If you work for a government agency or university and cannot lobby, you can still make a difference! Instead of calling your Members of Congress to discuss these specific policy asks, share general information about farm to school experiences and needs in your community. Sharing information is not lobbying - it’s education, which we can all do!
Taking action right now, while this reconciliation bill is in discussion, is especially crucial. Make your calls, sign-on to the letter, and forward this message to a friend. THANK YOU for taking a few minutes out of your day to make your voice heard.