MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Erik Peterson
(703) 739-3900, ext. 124
epeterson@schoolnutrition.org

Complimentary Full Press Registration Now Available for School Nutrition Association 2008 Annual National Conference

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (June 9, 2008) - Classes may be over, but school nutrition remains on the minds of many Americans this summer.  Rising food costs, nutrition standards for school meals, food safety and healthy school lunches continue to dominate headlines.  Learn more about these and other hot topics July 20 -23, 2008, as thousands of school nutrition professionals meet in Philadelphia, Penn. for the School Nutrition Association's 62nd Annual National Conference.  Complimentary press registration is now available to attend the world's largest gathering of school nutrition professionals.  The conference includes over 90 accredited educational breakout sessions, and the largest exhibit hall in the school foodservice industry, featuring more than 810 exhibits.  The pre-registration deadline for press is June 30, 2008.  ANC 2008 will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Penn.

ANC 2008 provides members of the media an opportunity to understand the trends and issues facing school nutrition programs nationwide:

• Thousands of school nutrition professionals will participate in over 90 quality education sessions on school nutrition standards, "going green," food allergies, food recall procedures, local school wellness policies, and managing costs. New this year is a Town Hall Forum on the impact of rising food costs on school nutrition.
• The largest exhibit hall in school foodservice industry featuring over 810 exhibits, on 215,000 square feet of space, and over 365 companies. Exhibitors include major suppliers of food, beverages, equipment, and software/hardware technology as well as smaller companies that contribute to healthy school meal programs.  On display will be a wide variety of whole grain products, fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy items, nutritious snacks and much more. Cameras and interviews are permitted in the exhibit hall with permission.
• Kick off the "Presidential" edition of Vote for School Lunch - the campaign to raise awareness about healthy school meals - in the birthplace of Independence.
• General session speakers include USDA Food and Nutrition Service Under Secretary Nancy Montanez Johner, former Goodwill Industries CEO and Congressman Fred Grandy and Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts. National awards of excellence in school nutrition will be presented.
• The 10th Annual Global Child Nutrition Forum will convene in Philadelphia, July 16-19, 2008. Twenty three representatives from 15 different countries will participate in the 5-day meeting on expanding school feeding through policy implementation, program development and capacity building.

Contact Erik Peterson for information on complimentary press registration: epeterson@schoolnutrition.org

SNA, (http://www.schoolnutrition.org) the School Nutrition Association, is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country.  Founded in 1946, the Association and its members are dedicated to feeding children safe and nutritious meals.