After what feels like a slow, treacherous climb along the incline of the food pyramid, Child Nutrition Reauthorization is finally making moves. The Senate Agricultural Committee approved the bill Wednesday, clearing the way for consideration by the full Senate.
Lauded as a compromise by the School Nutrition Association, the bipartisan bill keeps strict nutrition standards on track while offering solutions to some of foodservices’ biggest challenges: sodium, whole grains and fruit.
The next stage of sodium limits has been pushed back to 2019, originally scheduled for the 2017 school year. At that time, the Secretary of Agriculture will lead a study analyzing the relationship between low-sodium diets and nutrition. In addition, whole grains are now only required to comprise 80 percent of grains served, as opposed to the 100 percent previously regulated.
The bill also provides hardship exemptions for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. An exemption would allow schools struggling to offer fresh produce the latitude to offer all forms of fruits and vegetables. The legislation would also give these exempted operations a pathway to providing fresh fruits and vegetables in the future.
"While we are disappointed that the bill changes the highly effective and very popular Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, we appreciate the Committee's commitment to maintain the goal of the FFVP to provide students with fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks,” Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of United Fresh Produce Association, said in a news release.
In addition to nutrition regulations, the bill offers amendments to the WIC program, which would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to run pilot projects testing delivery methods and food credits through the program.
Higher federal reimbursement rates were not included in the proposed legislation, which the School Nutrition Association deems necessary to meet the standards.