Child Nutrition Reauthorization

Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2003

The federal Child Nutrition programs – WIC, Child and Adult Care Food, School Breakfast, School Lunch, Summer Food, and Afterschool Snack – will be reauthorized by Congress in 2003. The reauthorization process is a great opportunity to improve these programs at the federal level. We hope that the following information will help you advocate on behalf of hungry California children.

Announcements Overviews Advocacy Tools

Announcements

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Update To read highlights of the House and Senate versions of Child Nutrition Reauthorization, click here.

Congress is expected to take action on proposals to increase verification as part of Child Nutrition Reauthorization after Labor Day. USDA's research continues to show that increasing paperwork hassles pushes many eligible children out of the free and reduced-price school meal programs. Click here to find out more and take action.

Hearing on Child Nutrition Reauthorization The House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Education Reform held a hearing on “Food for Thought: How to Improve Child Nutrition Programs,” on Wednesday, July 16th. Read the testimony of USDA Undersecretary Eric Bost et al, and watch an archived “web cast” of the hearing visit.

Senator Dole Seeks to Eliminate the Reduced-Price Lunch Category. Click here for details.

A number of child nutrition bills have been introduced at the federal level. Senator Kohl from Wisconsin has introduced a bill on the School Breakfast Program, one on the Summer Food Program, and one on the Child and Adult Care Food Programs. Senator Leahy from Vermont has introduced a bill to improve meal quality and one to address competitive foods in the school environment

Read this Los Angeles Times article on how federal bureaucrats need to spend more time changing the rules that leave children hungry instead of finding ways to keep students who aren’t poor enough from getting free meals.

Undersecretary Eric Bost gives testimony on the child nutrition programs.

Child Nutrition Reauthorization is progressing forward: 1) The U.S Senate’s Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review the federal government’s initiatives in support of school meals, 2) USDA Secretary Anne Veneman released her priorities for reauthorization, 3) the press ridicules the Bush Administration’s proposal to increase documentation for school lunch, and 4) FRAC is making a "Call to Congress on Child Nutrition", and they need you to sign on.

New center for updated Child Nutrition Program Reauthorization information. The Food Research and Action Center has a web site to provide anti-hunger advocates, child nutrition officials, policymakers, the media, and the public with information on the reauthorization of child nutrition programs-what’s needed, the legislative process, FRAC’s (and others’) positions, and critical developments.

Are Ineligible Children Receiving Free or Reduced-Priced School Meals? (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

Click here for details on the potential effects Bush's budget proposal on Child Nutrition Reauthorization.

Recent Press on The Bush Administration's Proposal for Over-certification in School Meals:

Overviews

What is at stake for California? (pdf)

California has high levels of hunger and food insecurity

California ranks 11^th worst in the country for hunger and food insecurity.
California ranks 45^th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in child poverty.
California has 4.4 million people on the brink of hunger; 1.3 million are hungry.

Thousands of eligible California children do not participate in Child Nutrition programs

Only 41 percent of low-income children in California who eat free- or reduced-price school lunch also receive breakfast at school.
In 2001, 1.8 million low-income children ate free- or reduced-price school lunch during the school year, but only 10 percent of them got Summer Food meals.

California does not take advantage of options to increase program participation

Only 27 percent of California’s school districts use Direct Certification to automatically qualify kids for school meals if they already get TANF or food stamp benefits.
Of the 923 California school districts that offer School Lunch, only 68 use Provision 2 of the School Lunch Act, which lets them feed more kids with less paperwork.

California’s hungry children cannot learn

School Breakfast improves test scores and school performance, and it reduces problems of absenteeism, tardiness, and school discipline.
At least 71 of California’s low-performing schools – in 49 school districts -- do not even offer School Breakfast.

California’s hungry children are also at risk for obesity

Hunger can coexist with overweight. High-calorie, high fat, low-nutrient foods may be the cheapest response to periodic food shortages, or end-of-the-month depletion of food stamps.
31 percent of California teens are overweight or at risk of overweight.

CHILD NUTRITION REAUTHORIZATION 2003:

Feeding Our Future

The Challenges and Opportunities at Reauthorization

The California Experience on Good National Policy

An Overview

A recent study by the University of California at Los Angeles shows that over 2.1 million adults in California struggle to put food on the table. Children living in these households may not be getting the food they need. When they don’t, poor nutrition jeopardizes their learning, growth, health, and development. At the same time, a recent and sharp increase in childhood obesity presents a new challenge to children’s well-being and success. If children don’t receive the healthy food they need each day, too many will continue to confront hunger, obesity, or both.

The Opportunity

Programs up for reconsideration:

v WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)

v School Lunch

v School Breakfast

v Summer Lunch

v After School Snack

v Child and Adult Care Food

This year, Child Nutrition Reauthorization presents a terrific opportunity to improve and reform the core national children’s nutrition programs. These programs provide a strong framework for preventing childhood hunger and obesity, but they can and should do more to provide all children with adequate and nutritious food.

The Challenges Addressed in this Packet
Turning California ’s Successes in National Policies California has already taken significant steps toward improving child nutrition – but federal action is needed. We are encouraging California ’s congressional delegation to share these successes with colleagues AND to push for the needed national policies.	When School Is Out..................... p. 1 Hunger Doesn’t Take A Vacation Breakfast .................................. p. 2 Feeding Hungry Minds The Reduced-Priced Barrier........ p. 3 A 40-cent issue Healthy Schools.......................... p. 4 For Healthy Kids
No Investment in Proposed Budget These improvements in child nutrition require investment. The President’s proposed budget provides no additional funding to address the problems of childhood hunger and overweight nor does it seize the opportunity of reauthorization to make important changes.	Analysis of President’s Budget..... p. 5 Food Research and Action Center Call for Nutrition Funding ............ p. 6 From the National Child Nutrition Forum
School Meal Enrollment Hassles The President’s Budget does contain a proposal which threatens school meals for as many as 1 million low-income eligible students.	School Meal Eligibility.................. p. 7 Improving Accuracy and Access

Everything you need to advocate:

Recommendations were developed by California Food Policy Advocates for the California Working Families Policy Summit 2003, hosted by the California Center for Research on Women and Families.
Comments from the USDA Listening Sessions
Listening Session Comments
Overview of Recommendations
Detailed Recommendations
Talking Points

What can I do now?

Join CFPA’s new Child Nutrition Reauthorization listserv to discuss the upcoming issues that will affect the child nutrition programs. Click here for more information or simply join by sending an email.
Join CFPA in asking California's Congressional delegation to: 1) increase academic success for hungry learners, 2) feed more kids while processing less paper, and 3) help kids prevent obesity.
Support S.1007 (Leahy) and S.1392 (Harkin) – allow USDA to regulate foods sold in school all day.
Encourage the California Caucus to work with Sam Farr’s office and urge USDA to support California’s proposal for fruits and vegetables in the WIC food packages.

For more information on these requests, please contact George Manalo-LeClair at 415.777.4422 ext. 103