Ag secretary defends school lunch; Congress mulls changes

WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack warned Tuesday that Congress risks taking a “step back” if it fails to renew and strengthen school nutrition programs set to expire at the end of this month.

“It’s important for Congress not to take a step back,” Vilsack said during a speech at the Center for American Progress in Washington. “It’s important for Congress to continue the forward movement. Now, look, we understand and appreciate there may be, from time to time, a school district that has a challenge meeting the standards.”

During his remarks, Vilsack outlined a number of reasons why Congress should reauthorize and strengthen the program championed by first lady Michelle Obama. He noted 16 million children are living in “food insecure” homes and 30 percent are obese or at-risk of being obese, underscoring the need to provide them with healthy meals in schools.

The House and Senate are expected to debate reauthorization of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which set new nutritional standards for school programs that help feed 83,000 students lunch and 29,000 breakfast in Montana.

The 2010 law phased in new nutrition guidelines for school meals to address the childhood obesity epidemic and to help those at risk of going hungry, boosting whole-grain, fruit and vegetable requirements, lowering sodium levels and setting limits for calories. An estimated 95 percent of schools are meeting the new standards, according to USDA.

Still, the program has been criticized for offering some students small or inedible portions of food, leading to waste and higher costs for some school districts.

A survey released by the School Nutrition Association last week found that 70 percent of meal program operators nationwide have been hurt financially by the new mandate, and about 60 percent estimated school lunch participation has fallen under the new standards.

“School nutrition standards have resulted in many positive changes, but we cannot ignore the repercussions — the financial impact of these rules threatens school meal programs and their efforts to better serve students,” said Jean Ronnei, president of the School Nutrition Association.

Vilsack said he was concerned about $28.2 million of $90 million for the program remains unused by states to implement the law.