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National School Lunch Program


Be Prepared! Do YOU Know USDA's Role in Helping Families Following Disasters and Emergencies?

September 25, 2014 Toni Abernathy, Director, Office of Emergency Management Food and Nutrition Service

Ensuring our Nation’s children and families in need have access to healthy meals is a priority at USDA and that promise is of particular emphasis during times of disaster or emergency. Throughout National Preparedness Month this September, USDA recognizes the importance of being ready and wants the...

Food and Nutrition

Produce Pilot Ready to Take Root in Schools

September 02, 2014 Nate Sudbeck, AMS Commodity Procurement Program Specialist

Whether it’s trying on a new pair of shoes or eating a new item from your favorite restaurant, there’s always a feeling of excitement when you try something new. Here at USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), we get that same feeling when we are able to create new opportunities for our nation...

Food and Nutrition

Small State Comes Up Big with Healthy Summer Meals and Engaging Activities for Kids

August 06, 2014 Patricia Dombroski, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Mid-Atlantic Region Administrator

Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to see the many happy faces of children playing on the recreational fields of the Western Sussex Boys & Girls Club in Seaford, Del. They were there as part of a Summer Food Service Program showcasing USDA’s Eat Smart. Play Hard Campaign. It was easy to get...

Food and Nutrition

Studies Find Widespread Student Acceptance of New Healthier School Lunches

July 22, 2014 Dr. Janey Thornton, Deputy Under Secretary, USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

With nearly 31 million students now participating in the National School Lunch Program each day, sound nutrition at school plays an essential role in supporting a healthier next generation. But when the new standards were developed by pediatricians and other child nutrition experts, USDA was also...

Food and Nutrition

Bringing the USDA Foods Mission to SNA-ANC 2014!

July 18, 2014 Dave Tuckwiller, AMS Commodity Procurement Program Director

I love it when business travel doesn’t feel so much like a commitment as it does an adventure. That’s the feeling I had this year (and every year) as I packed my bag and headed to the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Convention (SNA-ANC) in Boston, MA. I was eager and anticipated a...

Food and Nutrition

Bringing the Promise of Healthy School Meals to More Children This Fall

July 15, 2014 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Education Secretary Arne Duncan

Cross-posted from the Huffington Post: The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 enabled the U.S Department of Agriculture to make historic changes to the meals served in our nation's schools. Breakfasts, lunches, and snacks sold during the school day are now more nutritious than ever, with less fat...

Food and Nutrition

USDA Joins National Hispanic Medical Association to Discuss Health in Latino Communities

July 09, 2014 Brenda Mutuma, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Emerson Hunger Fellow

As schools across the country were winding down for the summer, the conversation around school meals standards was heating up. School districts, parents, community members and Congressional representatives have engaged in an important discussion about the role of the new standards in our nation’s...

Food and Nutrition

Tracing a Path Out of a Costly Trade Dispute

June 27, 2014 Lorenzo Tribbett, AMS Specialty Crops Inspection Division Director

When we shop for items like orange juice at the grocery store, we often take for granted what goes on behind the scenes before we can enjoy these quality foods. Our nation’s producers and processors do not take it for granted. These products represent their livelihood, and the ability to reach new...

Trade

The Win-Win Situation of Selling Food to USDA

June 11, 2014 Dave Tuckwiller, AMS Commodity Procurement Program Director

USDA’s purchase programs were created to support our nation’s farmers through the purchase of domestic products and to increase Americans’ access to nutritious food. Many businesses who sell to USDA find that the programs also create other opportunities for growth. Companies like Wawona Frozen Foods...

Food and Nutrition

Creating a Healthier Next Generation and Supporting a Healthier School Day

June 11, 2014 Dr. Janey Thornton, Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services

Thanks to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, students across America are being served meals with more fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy. Parents can send their kids to school knowing that the healthy habits they teach at home are being reinforced at school...

Food and Nutrition
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