News
Lincoln pushes ahead with child nutrition bill
Senate Ag Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln’s “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” is drawing some criticism. While most are praising the plan’s increase in funding for child nutrition programs they are not happy with the fact some of the funding would come from the Environmental Quality Incentive Program. Lincoln says it would not cut current EQIP funding but the Environmental Defense Fund says it does take $2 billion out of the planned $3.4 billion increase in EQIP funding over the next ten years.
E.D.F. says the increase in funding was put in the 2008 Farm Bill is because farmer demand for the program often exceeds what is available citing 2008 as an example where “NRCS was forced to reject nearly half a billion dollars ($487 million) worth of applications by almost 24,000 farmers nationwide, about one third of all farmers who applied.”
While Lincoln’s bill is co-authored by the Ranking Member of the Senate Ag Committee, Saxby Chambliss, the Ranking Member of the House Ag Committee, Frank Lucas says “We made a commitment to our farmers and ranchers in the 2008 farm bill and I intend to honor that commitment.”
Meanwhile, Senator Lincoln is pushing ahead with the legislation, on Thursday she announced a major agreement between the food and beverage industry and public health and education groups on national school nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools. She also announced the Senate Ag Committee will meet next Wednesday to mark-up the bill.
Lincoln unveils child nutrition bill
Those pushing this bill should watch the new television program that premiered last night, “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution”.
The partnership between the USDA and the corporate ag interests (food & beverage industry) has resulted in unhealthy food nutrition guidelines (excessive caloric intake from carbohydrates and fat). The school-lunch programs across the nation feed nothing but overly-processed, pre-packaged, unhealthy “junk” to our children.
How is a child supposed to be tentive, alert, and on-task after consuming high-fructose corn-syrup strawberry-flavored milk paired with a piece of soggy pizza, another side of bread, and fruit floating in (yes again) high-fructose corn-syrup?! Nevermind the hope that the child might grow up to be a healthy adult…