Three State Agencies Urge National Lawmakers to Reauthorize Federal Nutrition Programs for Low-Income Families
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today he has joined forces with California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Kimberly Belshé and California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura to urge Congress to reauthorize the federal Child Nutrition Programs.
"Secretaries Belshé and Kawamura and I want to emphasize to members of Congress that these programs are vital in our efforts to prevent childhood obesity, increase academic achievement, and stave off the insecurity that families face in getting enough nutritious food," O'Connell said. "Often these child nutrition programs provide the only food some children consume each day."
"There has been an increased demand for food and nutrition programs in this economic downturn that has affected California's most vulnerable populations," added Belshé. "School meals, snacks, and wholesome foods provided through these Child Nutrition Programs are critically important to ensuring the health and well-being of millions of children in our state."
"Our three agencies support measures that increase access to these programs as well as promote improvement in the nutrient content of the food, especially with more wholesome, California-grown products," said Kawamura.
Federal Child Nutrition services include the National School Lunch Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program,
Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program assists low-income and nutritionally at-risk pregnant women, postpartum women, infants, and children. WIC participants may gain access to nutritious food, nutrition education, counseling, screening, and referrals.
O'Connell, Belshé, and Kawamura sent a joint letter to the chairpersons and ranking members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; and the House Education and Labor Committee. Those committees were responsible for extending the two programs for a year as Congress deliberates their reauthorizations. The state leaders urged committee members to consider California's priority recommendations to increase access and promote improvements in the nutrient content of the programs' meals, snacks, and supplemental foods. The recommendations include:
- Requiring meals be consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans;
- Requiring additional servings of fruits and vegetables;
- Re establishing funding for the Nutrition Education and Training Program;
- Providing funding for School Gardens, Farm-to-School, Farmers' Markets, and Salad Bar Programs;
- Adjusting the meal reimbursement rates and revising income eligibility requirements to reflect the differing costs of living across the country;
- Providing free meals to all children with family incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level;
- Increasing the certification period for children to one year to be consistent with infants and breast feeding women;
- Expanding categorical eligibility between Child Nutrition and WIC programs;
- Expanding the At Risk Supper Pilot program to California; and
- Providing funding to improve technology and innovation for fiscal management and other needs.
For more information on the federal Child Nutrition and WIC programs, please visit School Meals (Outside Source) and WIC (Outside Source). To see a copy of the letter sent to Congress members, please visit Recommendations for Improvement to the Child Nutrition & Women, Infant & Child Programs (PDF; 145KB; 2pp.).