School Lunch Program

While the pandemic is ongoing, officials at the USDA says they've already learned a lot when it comes to the school lunch program, and how things can be run better and more efficiently. Food and Nutrition Program analyst, Liz Hermsen, pointed out that key waivers for school meals programs have been extended through the next school year ...

On Monday, the USDA extended free meals for kids through December 31st. The announcement, according to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, allows summer meal program operators to continue serving free meals to all children into the fall months ...

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts is calling on Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue to provide flexibilities for school meals and child nutrition. Leading lawmakers in a letter to Perdue, the Kansas Republican said, "As the school year begins, the challenges brought on by the COVID emergency persist ...

The USDA announced last week it will continue to provide flexibilities to ensure children who need meals receive them, whether or not they are physically at school this fall. "Schools, a lot of them, are still uncertain about what they're going to do for fall over even spring and so they're looking at a number of options and how they're going to ensure kids have access to food," said U

With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, many roles changed and shifted. The Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Farm To School program is a great example of that. In February, the program was meeting with districts across the state, trying to determine how farmers could better meet needs in the 20-21 school year. Howe ...

The USDA is trying to show flexibility on child eligibility for free meals. "Typically, eligibility standards are a little bit different in the uncertain times that we have now USDA's working to make sure that all kids have access to food during COVID-19," said USDA Undersecretary Brandon Lipps ...

The USDA is changing the school and summer meals program.   “That's really why we're here to talk about the announce and more flexibility regarding the types of vegetables when they meet minimum requirements they got more flexibility to serve vegetables that kids are eating,” said Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue.  “Overall we've...

The USDA is rolling out new rules designed to help schools serve nutritious meals that students are less likely to trash.  Back in May 2017, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue went to a Virginia school to announce some changes he wants to make in the strict nutritional standards for meals that local school food service people are having to follow.  Th...

Schools nationwide last week celebrated national school lunch week, with an emphasis on the theme, "Lots to Love."  In the realms of nutrition, variety, and socialization during the lunch period.  Such activity includes parents spending lunch time with their children, and for one Arlington Virginia elementary school, students and staff spent time with the secretary of agriculture during

The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives applauded the introduction of The American Food for American Schools Act.  The legislation in the Senate will strengthen monitoring and enforcement of “Buy American” provisions of the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs, if approved. Chuck Conner, presid...