Changes to School Lunch Program

Senate Passes Child Nutrition Reauthorization
On Thursday, August 5, the Senate passed, S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 that reauthorizes federal child nutrition programs (such as the School Breakfast, School Lunch, and Summer Food programs, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) through FY 2015). The bill increases funding on child nutrition programs by $4.5 billion over ten years and aims to end childhood hunger and address the epidemic of childhood obesity. With regard to improvements to CACFP, the bill specifically:

* Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to work with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to encourage state licensing agencies to include wellness standards within state licensing standards in order to ensure that licensed and regulated child care centers and family child care homes provide physical activity opportunities, limit screen time and offer food consistent with the healthy meals patterns and nutrition standards of CACFP;
* Expands the afterschool meals program for at-risk children to permit communities in all 50 states to be reimbursed for a meal, instead of just a snack;
* Strengthens nutrition requirements for child care providers participating in CACFP, and provides guidance and technical assistance to help providers improve the health of young children;
* Establishes a simplified method of determining sponsor monthly administrative funding by requiring only the number of homes multiplied by the administrative reimbursement rate calculation to determine the sponsors’ administrative funds; and
* Eliminates the need for sponsors and child care centers to resubmit duplicative paperwork each year.

The bill passed by voice vote and is pending consideration in the House. For additional information, click here: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s3667is.txt.pdf. For Chairman Lincoln’s press release, click here: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s3667is.txt.pdf. To hear audio remarks, click here:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s3667is.txt.pdf