November 18, 2009 - Child Nutrition Reauthorization was the focus of a Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing held yesterday, November 17, 2009. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was among those testifying before the Committee.

In her opening statement, Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) reiterated the Committee’s commitment to addressing the high rate of children that suffer from hunger.  She also noted the high rates of childhood obesity, remarking that the federal child nutrition programs have an important place in addressing this issue. She discussed her guiding principals for Child Nutrition Reauthorization: increasing access and participation, improving the nutritional quality of meals, and improving the integrity and modernization of the school nutrition programs. Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) also spoke about the importance of the child nutrition programs, noting that the recent school meal pattern recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) will help improve the nutritional quality of the school nutrition programs.

In his testimony, Secretary Vilsack reaffirmed that child nutrition is a top priority for the USDA and the Obama Administration.   He noted the top Administration priorities for child nutrition reauthorization, include:

• Reducing barriers and increasing access
• Increasing the nutritional value of meals
• Increasing the health of the whole school environment, including competitive foods
• Expanding food safety requirements to all places where food is prepared and stored
• Strengthening school wellness policy implementation and increasing physical activity.

Secretary Vilsack fielded a variety of questions from Committee members.  The issues discussed included innovative ways to expand program participation, national standards for all foods sold on campus during the school day, modernizing school kitchens, and indirect costs. Secretary Vilsack also answered questions regarding food safety and what USDA is doing to improve communications to schools during recalls.

Those testifying during the second panel included:

• Dr. Margaret Bogle, Executive Director, Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Little Rock, Ark.
• Mr. Rich Huddleston, Executive Director, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, Little Rock, Ark.
• Ms. Rhonda Sanders, Executive Director, Arkansas Hunger Alliance, Little Rock, Ark.
• Ms. Jennifer Smith, Director, Compliance, Wal-Mart, Bentonville, Ark.

To watch the rebroadcast of the hearing and to read the testimony, please visit the link below.

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry - click on November 17th.