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Biden Administration unveils national strategy to end hunger

The White House has released its national strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases by 2030. The strategy comes ahead of Wednesday’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health.

An administration official says the plan would expand access to free and healthy school meals for nine million more children by 2032.  The administration would help families purchase groceries during the summer months and expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility.

US Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says he’s excited about the pathway to provide healthy school meals to all students. He says it will allow schools to focus on providing the highest quality meals and engaging children around the importance of healthy food.

It would also expand access to food as medicine interventions and develop front-of-package labeling.

“For example, the FDA will conduct research and purpose the development of a standardized front-of-package labeling system that quickly and easily communicate nutrition information,” the official says.

During a call with reporters the official said the strategy provides a road map for actions the federal government will take, proposals requiring congressional action, and a call to action for how non-government agencies can help meet goals.

The national conference and strategy are anchored around five pillars: improving food access and affordability; integrating nutrition and health; empowering all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices; supporting physical activity for all; and enhancing nutrition and food security research.

The plan includes calls for legislation to extend the expanded child tax credit, raise the minimum wage, and close the Medicaid coverage gap. The administration says it will also bolster nutrition research funding to ensure it has the resources needed to conduct consistent and innovative research.

It has been more than 50 years since the first White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health.  

The official says Wednesday’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health is “our opportunity to unify Americans around this goal. The ongoing prevalence of food insecurity and diet related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and certain cancers have significant and far-reaching impacts on individuals and their communities, particularly and historically undeserved communities.”

The official says the administration considers this “just the beginning of the work that needs to happen” and agencies like the USDA will have additional announcements in the coming days.   

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