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Thursday, June 19, 2014

SCHOOL MEALS BILL DEBATED

House Republicans are expected to vote this week on an Agriculture Department appropriations bill that would waive tougher nutritional standards on school lunches if a school shows it has operated at a net loss over six months.

The standards are intended to ensure that children get whole grains, fruits and vegetables in their school meals. They also put a limit on sodium in meals.

Republicans say schools need greater flexibility to implement the standards and that the tougher requirements cost too much. The White House back a compromise agreement adopted by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Under that deal, tougher requirements on sodium levels would not be implemented, although requirements for schools to offer fruits and vegetables would be kept. The Senate plan also asks the Agriculture Department to identify products schools could purchase instead of whole-grain pastas and breads, and offer technical assistance to schools struggling to meet the new requirements.

Source: The Hill, 6/16/14, School Meals Bill

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