Through
the Summer Food Service Program, USDA funds meals for children
in low-income areas when school is not in session. In July
2001, 2.1 million children participated in this program, about
14 percent of the number who received free or reduced-price
school meals during the previous school year. The ERS report
Feeding Low-Income Children When School Is Out: The Summer
Food Service Program (FANRR-30) presents findings from
the first comprehensive study of this program in more than
a decade. The report describes how the program operates at
all levels of administration, examines factors that affect
participation by sponsors and children, and measures the nutritional
quality of meals served and the extent of plate waste. Jane
Allshouse
Fruit
and Vegetable Snacks in Schools
The
2002 Farm Bill provided $6 million for the Fruit and Vegetable
Pilot Program, which offered free fruit and vegetable snacks
to children in 107 elementary and secondary schools in Indiana,
Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, and Ohio during the 2002-03 school
year. A new ERS report, Evaluation
of the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program—Report
to Congress (E-FAN-03-006),
shows that the pilot was popular among most students, parents,
State representatives, teachers, principals, and foodservice
staff. The report also includes types of fruits and vegetables
offered to children and strategies for delivery. Jean
Buzby
Organic
Farming Expands
The
rapid expansion of U.S. farmland managed under organic systems
in the 1990s is documented inU.S.
Organic Farming in 2000-2001: Adoption of Certified Systems
(AIB-780). The uniform standards for organic production
and processing adopted by USDA in October 2002 are expected
to facilitate further growth in the organic farm sector. This
report updates USDA estimates of land farmed with organic
practices for 2000 and 2001 and provides new estimates on
the number of certified organic operations in each State.
Catherine Greene
Commodity Markets
and Trade
ERS Outlook reports provide timely analysis of major commodity
markets, farm income and finance, and trade, including special
reports on hot topics. All reports are available electronically
and can be found at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/outlook,
along with a calendar of future releases. Joy
Harwood