ALEXANDRIA, VA -- 02/26/08 --
Early next month, more than 700 school
nutrition professionals will discuss the crisis in funding for school meal
programs and urge Congress to require science-based, yet practical, uniform
national school nutrition standards to govern the sale of all foods and
beverages available during the school day. The School Nutrition
Association's (SNA) 36th annual Legislative Action Conference in
Washington, DC, March 2-5, 2008, will bring together school nutrition
directors and supervisors, nutritionists, state child nutrition directors
and foodservice industry representatives.
The emphasis on nutrition standards will build from efforts related to the
drafting of the Farm Bill last year. This year however, as the national
economic picture becomes more uncertain, school nutrition professionals
will also provide lawmakers with the facts on school meal costs. The child
nutrition programs are both under pressure to serve nutritious meals to
more low-income children and being pinched by increased food, labor and
milk costs.
"The federal government currently reimburses schools $2.47 for each
balanced, healthy meal provided to children from families making 130% of
the poverty level or less. A latte costs more. This is not adequate to
cover the cost of producing a school meal," said Mary Hill, SNS, president
of SNA. The costs of food, transportation, labor and benefits, training,
equipment and indirect expenses, are all increasing rapidly and meal
charges as well as federal, state and local financial support for the child
nutrition programs have not kept pace.
The key legislative issues the School Nutrition Association (SNA) is
advocating for this year are:
-- Giving the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to regulate and
enforce the sale of food and beverages outside of the cafeteria.
-- Requiring all a la carte and competitive food sales to be consistent
with the Dietary Guidelines, as is required for school meals.
-- Requiring national uniformity for the school meal pattern throughout
the country. Children in all states and local districts need the same
nutrients to grow and be healthy. The current lack of uniformity is
increasing the cost of the programs.
-- In the face of record food, labor and milk process, calling for
adequate funding to support healthful meals being offered through school
nutrition programs.
Activities of the 36th annual Legislative Action Conference at the J.W.
Marriot Hotel in Washington, DC will also include:
-- Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chair, Tom Harkin
(D-Iowa), and Ranking Member, Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), as well as House
Agriculture Committee Chair, Colin Peterson (D-Minn.). Noted political
commentator Amy Walter will give the opening keynote address.
-- Panel discussions will include SNA's 2008 legislative priorities,
perspectives on the need for national nutrition standards, the school
nutrition funding crisis and an update on child nutrition activities from
the USDA.
-- SNA members will take their message to Capitol Hill, sharing the
nutritional value of school meals and the need for key policy changes with
members of Congress on March 4, 2008.
-- On Tuesday, March 4, 2008, SNA president Mary Hill, SNS is scheduled
to testify at a hearing held by the Healthy Families and Communities
Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and Labor.
-- The Global Child Nutrition Foundation and SNA will honor the Executive
Director of the Congressional Hunger Center, Ed Cooney, with the 2008 Gene
White Lifetime Achievement Award at the "A Possible Dream Gala" on Tuesday
evening, March 4, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade
Center. Other award recipients will be Geri Dee, SNS, 2007 Outstanding
School Nutrition Director of the Year and Mimi Ford, 2007 Individual
Industry Member of the Year. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the
Global Child Nutrition Foundation's initiatives to promote sustainable
school feeding programs worldwide.
The School Nutrition Association is a national, non-profit professional
organization representing more than 55,000 members who provide
high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. The
Association and its members are dedicated to feeding children safe and
nutritious meals. SNA is the only association devoted exclusively to
protecting and enhancing children's health and well being through school
meals and sound nutrition education.
Contact:
Erik Peterson
703-739-3900 ext 124
Email Contact
