On Wednesday, July 14th the House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor met to markup H.R. 5504: Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act of 2010, and on Thursday, July 15th the bipartisan bill was passed out of Committee by a vote of 32-13. As passed, the bill includes reforms that significantly improve program access and the nutritional quality of meals. CFSC is also pleased to announce that the legislation includes $50 Million in mandatory funding for Farm to School programs!

Congressman Rush Holt, our Farm to School champion on the Education and Labor Committee, said, “As a representative from the Garden State it should not be a surprise that I support bringing Jersey tomatoes and sweet corn into schools. Farm to School programs support our local farmers and help in the fight against childhood obesity  In these challenging fiscal times, every dollar we spend must not only meet immediate needs but also make lasting improvements for the future. Because school food programs currently provide more than half of the daily nutrition for many children, it is vital that these meals are healthy ones. Farm to school programs increase the availability of fresh and locally grown food to improve our children’s daily nutrition and can lead to permanent improvements in their diets and eating habits.”

On July 1st, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testified at a Committee Hearing on the bill, and urged them to get moving on this legislation. Now, just two weeks later, Secretary Vilsack was congratulating the committee on taking a positive step forward in moving this piece of legislation one step closer to enactment and urged them “to finish this process by the time kids head back to school this fall.” Congressman George Miller, chair of the Committee and original co-sponsor of the legislation, agreed and commented on the urgency of getting a bill signed by the President this year: “If we allow our children’s health to suffer, if we allow more children to go hungry by not taking swift action with this legislation, we fail our children, their families and the future of this country.”

The Education and Labor Committee website contains details from the markup, including: Chairman Miller’s opening statement, an archive of the webcast, and all 20 amendments offered during the process. CFSC will provide more details as further action is needed from members and we will notify you when the bill is scheduled for floor time.