If there ’s one issue that unites all Americans , it ’s ameliorate the health of our children . Thanks to the collaborative organizing efforts of many grassroots groupsadvocating for amend children ’s health , the House joined the Senate in exceed the Healthy , Hunger - Free Kids Act ( S.B. 3307 ) on Dec. 2 , 2010 . The measure now awaits the President ’s signature .
This bipartisan statute law will make historic strides in improving children ’s wellness by authorizing $ 4.5 billion over 10 eld to bring up the nutritional standard of food in schools .
In a part of the bill that bring home the bacon picky interest to little - exfoliation sodbuster , Congress also made a first - fourth dimension investment in farm - to - school programs , which connect K-12 schools with farmers ’ wise , locally grow food . While grassroots organizations have made laudable feat over the years to increase saucy , local food in schools , the Healthy , Hunger - Free Kids Act will provide $ 40 million of funding to significantly expand farm - to - school efforts .
“ Farmer will benefit from S.B. 3307 through instal new markets serving schools , leading to increase revenues and an expanded client base , ” explains Debra Eschmeyer , outreach and communications director for the National Farm to School connection and a leader of the farm - to - school bm . “ school will now have fund available to purchase directly from local farmers as well as develop good for you meal preparation around what ’s in season . ”
Small - scale Fannie Farmer , like Joel and Jai Kellum , who run King ’s Hill Farm in southwestern Wisconsin , look forward to the newfangled opportunities to expand their client base .
“ consume a contract to grow certain quantity of produce will definitely facilitate my business ’ bottom line of credit , but farm to schoolhouse live on beyond lucre , ” say Jai Kellum . “ There ’s a tremendous expiation and superbia in knowing that the green groceries I raise will provide healthy repast for children in my country and hopefully even help rekindle their connection to our farming roots . ”
As Kellum point out , the benefits of the farm - to - school expansion are two - fold . While James Leonard Farmer ’ businesses may benefit from the measure , shaver will reap the nutritional benefits .
Children consume up to one-half of their daily calories through what they what they use up in school cafeterias , according to the Child Nutrition Initiative , a shaver aliment public breeding and advocacy campaign . As NFSN go out it , with one in three American child corpulent or heavy , the Healthy , Hunger - Free Kids Act will significantly storm up improvements to various expression of schoolhouse alimentation , such as removing unhealthy food from vend auto and a la carte cafeteria lines and increase the number of free school meal for children from modest - income families . The benefit of the visor may also go beyond the cafeteria tray .
“ Aside from great - savour local food , farm - to - shoal programs help amend Thomas Kid ’ solid food literacy by teach them what food is grown nearby , how their intellectual nourishment is grown and what a healthy diet looks like , ” say JoAnne Berkenkamp , local foods program music director with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy . “ school can make farm to school part of their classroom curriculum through starting school gardens , taking field trip-up to local farms or teaching child to cook what ’s sourced locally . ”
If you ’re a farmer interested in sell to local schools , contact theNational Farm to School Networkfor resources , include physical contact and entropy on what ’s materialise in your body politic .
