michelle obama

Cross posted from the Let's Move! blog.

An integral part of the Let’s Move! initiative is gaining a critical boost when it comes to solving the challenge of childhood obesity and improving the health and nutrition of all Americans.  Today, USDA is proud to announce new investments that will help connect farms with families at the local level by providing grants to local farmers markets, producers, and farmers. Farmers markets across the country help families make the right choice when it comes to fresh produce and foods by bringing their harvest right to our communities.

National School Lunch Week is underway this week. It’s an annual event, of course, but this year I think we have a lot to celebrate because more and more people are coming to understand how important it is to provide America’s school children with a healthy nutrition environment at school.   In fact, as I look around, I see encouraging developments in many areas, but none more so than the growing number of schools that have decided to take on USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge.

I just took part in an exciting event at Brock Elementary School in Slidell, Louisiana. The school proudly hosted a visit by First Lady Michelle Obama on September 8, when she spoke about her Let’s Move! initiative and the importance of a healthy lifestyle for kids. As you can imagine, the school administration, food service staff and the students were all thrilled to have the First Lady at their school. This school was chosen because of the exemplary job they have done in providing healthy meals and physical activity for their students.

By Amanda Eamich, USDA Director of Web Communications

Cross-Posted from the White House Open Government Blog

The moment of truth has come. In March, the First Lady challenged the talented and kid-savvy innovators across the country to build games and tools that inspire and empower kids and their parents to get active and eat healthy. Over the past four months, hundreds of students, developers, and entrepreneurs have dreamed up new ideas, teamed up with their peers in game jams across the country, and toiled to build something really special—something that will move the needle on childhood obesity.

 Blog by Dr. Lynn Harvey, Ed.D., RD, LDN, FADA
Section Chief, Child Nutrition Services, Division of School Support,
NC Department of Public Instruction 

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA's rich science and research portfolio.

Cross posted from the White House, Office of Science and Technology Policy

Jane Ray was ironing clothes and watching the news when a story inspired her to action. The news story showed First Lady Michelle Obama speaking to employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., telling them about the agency’s People’s Garden initiative. Ray, who grew up in Carthage, Texas, realized she had just heard how she and her sister, Jill Burkindine of Manhattan, Kan., could honor their parents and benefit their hometown community.

Yesterday was a very exciting day here at USDA as we joined First Lady Michelle Obama in announcing our Apps for Healthy Kids competition! Apps for Healthy Kids is part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative to end childhood obesity.

By Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture