USDA Awards $8
Million to Support Healthier Foods in Schools and Child Care Centers
Release No.
0245.15
Contact:
USDA Office of Communications (202) 720-4623
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today
announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be awarding over
$8 million in grants to help school nutrition professionals better prepare
healthy meals for their students. Approximately $2.6 million dollars in grants
will support implementation of new national professional standards for all
school nutrition employees who manage and operate the
National School
Lunch and
School Breakfast
Programs, and $5.6 million will go to help states expand and enhance food
service training programs and provide nutrition education in school, child
care, and summer meal settings.
"For the past three years, kids have eaten healthier breakfasts,
lunches and snacks at school thanks to the bipartisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids
Act, which made the first meaningful improvements to the nutrition of foods and
beverages served in cafeterias and sold in vending machines in 30 years. Nearly
all schools are successfully meeting the standards, and these grants part of
our ongoing commitment to give states and schools the additional resources they
need," said Vilsack. "Parents, teachers, principals, and school
nutrition professionals want the best for their children. Together we can make
sure we're giving our kids the healthy start in life they deserve."
The grants announced today add to the large number of resources that USDA provides to help schools serve healthier food options that
meet updated nutrition standards, including technical assistance, educational materials, and additional reimbursements. More than 95
percent of schools report that they are successfully meeting those nutrition
standards, which were based on recommendations from pediatricians and other
child health experts at the Institute of Medicine.
In February, USDA announced national professional standards for school nutrition employees that went into effect
on July 1, 2015. These standards, which vary according to position and job
requirements, ensure that school nutrition professionals have the training and
skills they need to plan, prepare, purchase, and promote healthy meals. In
addition to several built-in flexibilities intended to facilitate the first
year of implementation and address the challenges faced by smaller school
districts, USDA is providing a total of $2.6 million to 19 state agencies to
develop and enhance existing trainings within their state that will allow
school nutrition professionals to meet these standards. The Professional
Standards Training Grants promote training in nutrition; operations;
administration; and communications and marketing.
In addition, 19 states received a 2015 Team
Nutrition Training Grant of up to $350,000 – $5.6 million in total – to support
trainings that focus on encouraging healthy eating. Those efforts could
include:
- using Smarter Lunchrooms strategies that use principles
from behavioral economics to encourage healthy choices,
- meeting meal pattern requirements for school meals,
- delivering interactive nutrition education activities,
and
- providing schools and child care providers with
technical assistance to create and maintain a healthier environment.
Grants activities must be sustainable and
achieve measurable outcomes. For example, the Oregon Department of Education
will use the grant funds to hold 10 Smarter Lunchroom workshops on strategies
for arranging the lunchroom that promote healthy choices. As a result, at least
120 school food authorities and child nutrition program sponsors will receive
training and follow-up assistance. A summary of previous years' grant
activities by state can be found at the Team Nutrition Training Grants website.
The Team Nutrition Training Grants are
awarded as part of USDA's Team Nutrition
initiative, which provides resources, training, and nutrition education lessons
for schools and child care providers. This year marks the 20th anniversary of
the Team Nutrition initiative. In that time, Team Nutrition has provided nearly
$90 million in grant funds to state agencies that implement USDA Child
Nutrition Programs.
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service administers
America's nutrition assistance programs including the National School Lunch and
School Breakfast programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Summer
Food Service Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Together these programs make up the federal nutrition safety net.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint
of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil
Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC
20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339
(Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).
"For the past three years, kids have eaten healthier breakfasts,
lunches and snacks at school thanks to the bipartisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids
Act, which made the first meaningful improvements to the nutrition of foods and
beverages served in cafeterias and sold in vending machines in 30 years. Nearly
all schools are successfully meeting the standards, and these grants part of
our ongoing commitment to give states and schools the additional resources they
need," said Vilsack. "Parents, teachers, principals, and school
nutrition professionals want the best for their children. Together we can make
sure we're giving our kids the healthy start in life they deserve."
