The Child Nutrition Act – a major piece of federal legislation that essentially determines school food policy and resources – was scheduled for reauthorization in September of 2009. However, the school food program has instead been extended through the Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which provides funding for several new programs, including:

$85 million to improve children’s access to meals during the summer;
$25 million to help schools purchase cafeteria equipment to provide healthy school meals; and
$25 million to help states to automatically enroll children in the School Lunch Program.

However, it does not fundamentally shift the program or fund healthier school food. We will continue to advocate for a strong, well-funded reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act when it comes up for reauthorization next Fall.

Upcoming Opportunity

The 2004 reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act took great strides forward in requiring all school districts to adopt wellness policies. The next reauthorization, scheduled for September 2010, will provide an opportunity to strengthen this requirement by offering resources for implementation of the policies and increasing the funding available for fresh, healthy school food.

As 2010 quickly approaches, the USDA is seeking input from members of the school community for help in shaping the act’s priorities.

Supporting Research

Research continues to show the importance of adequate funding for healthy school food. A USDA study (conducted before recent spikes in food costs) shows that federal funding covers only 82 percent of the cost of providing school meals. Funding for school food increased only 3 percent last year, while food prices rose dramatically: milk prices went up 17 percent, bread prices went up 12 percent.

Research also shows the value of food service directors’ efforts to provide healthy choices. The annual survey of the School Nutrition Association found that "although rising food, labor and indirect costs are significant challenges for school nutrition programs, healthy food and beverage items continue to increase in popularity and participation is increasing; nearly half of respondents report increased overall lunch and breakfast average daily participation in the 2007-2008 school year."

Applegate Farms and Healthy Schools Campaign

To take advantage of the opportunity offered by reauthorization, HSC and Applegate Farms are partnering to raise awareness of the challenges surrounding school food and to encourage parents, students and members of the school community to raise their voices in support of healthy school food.

Applegate Farms is the presenting sponsor of the Cooking up Change Healthy Cooking Contest, an event that helps bring attention to the many constraints involved in serving fresh, healthy food at school.

Raise Your Voice

This reauthorization offers a tremendous opportunity to create a future for school food in which fresh, healthy meals are the norm and all children have access to the type of comprehensive nutrition education that creates healthy habits for a lifetime.

Please join us in taking action for a healthy reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.

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