House Education and Labor Committee Requests Study on ERP

February 29, 2008 -- The House Education and Labor Committee sent a letter to the Government Accounting Office (GAO) last week, requesting a study on state and local initiatives to fund programs that provide free meals to students in the reduced price category.  The 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act authorized a pilot program to study the effectiveness of eliminating the reduced price category (ERP), however, it did not authorize funding for the pilot. For the past three years, SNA has sought funding for the pilot program.  The GAO study will look at the effectiveness of programs implemented by both state and local governments.  SNA hopes the results will be available for the 2009 Reauthorization.

Many school districts; including Salt Lake City, Utah, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Tampa, Fla., as well as the states of Colorado and Washington, have implemented programs with great success.  Participation in school breakfast, school lunch, or both have increased dramatically.  Anecdotally, teachers have noticed better academic performance and better behavior among students.

Why Eliminate the Reduced Price Category?
For several years’ school nutrition professionals nationwide have reported that a growing number of reduced price students are finding it difficult to pay for their healthy school meals. With the cost of food, gas, and housing reaching record highs, many families are facing significant financial pressures.  While the reduced fee is only 40 cents, many families are unable to pay the fee every day, for each child. School nutrition directors report that this is the case particularly near the end of the month when financial resources run short. Other school nutrition directors speak of parents bouncing $2.00 checks that were to cover a weeks worth of reduced price meals.

Organizations such as Bread for the World and the Military Impacted Schools Association have drawn attention to the fact that many families whose incomes put them in the reduced price meal category are unable to cover the 40-cent fee.

SNA believes that if a family qualifies for free WIC benefits, they should qualify for free school meals. Earlier this decade more than 500 state and local school boards passed local resolutions urging the Congress to make this change.

Registration for ANC Philly is Now Open

February 22, 2008 -- Registration for the school nutrition event of year, ANC Philadelphia, July 20-23, 2008 is now open.  The School Nutrition Association’s annual conference is the world's leading and most substantive meeting for the school nutrition industry. 

This year’s conference should be SNA’s most exciting yet with:

- Inspirational keynote speakers like Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York and Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ‘Good Morning America’.

- Over 80 educations sessions in such key topic areas as professional skill building, program administration and wellness. This year, attendees can create a schedule that addresses their unique needs and interests.

- The opportunity to network with colleagues from around the country and sample the latest and greatest in food, equipment and technology school nutrition products from over 800 exhibits.

- A final event performance by renowned Grammy-winning songstress Patti Labelle! A ticket to the show is included in the full ANC conference registration fee but space is limited so be sure to register early!

For more information and to register online for ANC please visit www.schoolnutrition.org/anc.

ANC Sweepstakes Winners
Thousands of members entered the ANC Philly sweepstakes between October 2007 and January 2008 for a chance to win a free ANC registration. We are pleased to announce our three lucky and excited winners:

November Winner
Christa Holder, Cafeteria Worker, Unicoi County, TN

December Winner
Jill Bisiada, Manager, Flagler County, FL

January Winner
Mary Smith, Field Operations Supervisor, Brevard County, FL

Congratulations to you all!

Four for Fun: Creative Promotions for Global Child Nutrition Month

February 21, 2008 -- As you get ready for first official Global Child Nutrition Month in April 2008, consider partnering with your student customers and teachers to raise money for fighting back against hunger. You could raise money for a food bank, a regional anti-hunger organization or the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), which helps to advance sustainable and effective school feeding programs worldwide. The following are four great ideas for putting the “fun” in fundraising events, courtesy of the “Change Our World” campaign.

1. Bad Hair, Good Cause. Have a “bad hair” contest for your students. For a small entry fee, they get to compete in a contest to choose the craziest hairdo. Present the winners with prizes.

2. Teachers vs. Students. Work with a school parent organization or student group to host a teachers vs. students basketball game with the proceeds from admission going to charity. Make the night more exciting by hosting two games so that both the boys and girls can participate. Also, school nutrition professionals could volunteer their time to host a concession booth with the proceeds going to the GCNF.

3. The Great Bottle Battle. Ask each class to decorate its own bottle that is kept in the classroom. Over a contest period of several days or longer, the classes can race to see which can fill its bottle with loose change the fastest. Throw a party for the room that collects the most money.

4. World Food Night. Take your entire community on a trip around the globe without leaving town. Invite your students, colleagues and the community to sample dishes from around the globe. Charge for tickets to get in the door and donate the proceeds to an anti-hunger organization.

The Global Child Nutrition Foundation (www.gcnf.org) is a nonprofit corporation whose mission and vision are to help the nations of the world nurture young bodies and advance young minds through the time-tested practice of school-based nutrition. The “Change Our World” campaign is led by The Schwan Food Company(TM), a leader in frozen food services. Learn more at www.changeourworldonline.org.

USDA Announces Recall of Hallmark/Westland Beef Previously Placed on Hold

February 19, 2008 -- On February 17, 2008, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a Class II recall by Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. of Chino, Calif. of approximately 143,383,823 pounds of raw and frozen beef products that FSIS has determined to be unfit for human food because the product was produced in non-compliance with FSIS protocol: the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection. School nutrition programs that might have received the product had been holding it pending a decision from FSIS. The recall announcement means the product in question will now be destroyed.

The Class II precautionary type recall comes several weeks after USDA began an investigation of Hallmark/Westland operations and placed on hold 37 million pounds of beef products from their plant destined for the National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. All federal food and nutrition program contracts with Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company were suspended on January 30, 2008. To date, Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company remains suspended by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The products destined for the Federal food assistance programs, including the National School Lunch Program, which have been on hold will now be removed from schools and other holding facilities and destroyed. Based on this Class II recall, officials of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service and Agricultural Marketing Service will work closely with State food and nutrition officials to minimize any disruptions caused by the removal and disposal of recalled Westland Meat Co. products.

FSIS has evidence that Hallmark/Westland did not consistently contact the FSIS public health veterinarian in situations in which cattle became non-ambulatory after passing ante-mortem inspection, which is not compliant with FSIS regulations. According to USDA, this noncompliant activity occurred occasionally over the past two years and therefore all beef product produced during the period of time for which evidence indicates such activity occurred has been determined by FSIS to be unfit for human consumption, and is, therefore, adulterated.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer issued a statement regarding the recall on February 17th, saying in part:
The United States enjoys one of the safest food supplies in the world. To help ensure the safety of the food supply, we implement a series of safeguards to protect against foodborne disease. These safeguards include in-plant procedures to reduce dangerous foodborne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. It also includes the removal of specified risk materials-those tissues demonstrated to contain the bovine spongiform encephalopathy agent in infected cattle-from the human food chain, along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 1997 ruminant to ruminant feed ban. The prohibition of non-ambulatory cattle from the food supply is an additional safeguard against bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
I am dismayed at the in-humane handling of cattle that has resulted in the violation of food safety regulations at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. It is extremely unlikely that these animals were at risk for BSE because of the multiple safeguards; however, this action is necessary because plant procedures violated USDA regulations.

The FSIS designated this as a Class II recall due to the remote probability that the beef being recalled would cause adverse health effects if consumed. FSIS made this determination because the animals passed ante-mortem inspection but should have been identified as suspect requiring additional inspection after slaughter to determine if there is evidence of disease, injury, or other signs of abnormalities that may have occurred after ante-mortem inspection. The prohibition of downer cattle from entering the food supply is only one measure in an interlocking system of controls the federal government has in place to protect the food supply. The government has multiple safeguards regarding BSE in place and the prevalence of the disease in the United States is extremely low. Other BSE security measures include the feed ban that prohibits feeding ruminant protein to other ruminants and an ongoing BSE surveillance program that began before the confirmation of the first BSE positive cow in the U.S. in 2003.
 
As another measure to reduce the risk of potential exposure to consumers, FSIS requires the removal of specified risk materials (SRM) so they do not enter the food supply. Several FSIS line inspectors are stationed at designated points along the production line where they are able to directly observe SRM removal activities.

The products subject to this recall were sent to wholesale distributors nationwide in bulk packages and are not available for direct purchase by consumers. All products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. 336” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products were produced on various dates from Feb. 1, 2006 to Feb. 2, 2008. Companies are urged to check their inventories and hold the products until the recalling firm makes arrangements for final disposition of the products.

The following products are subject to recall:

• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., BURRITO FILLING MIX.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., PACKED FOR JACOBELLIES SAUSAGE CO., 74/26 GROUND BEEF.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., RAW GROUND BEEF MEATBALL MIX FOR FURTHER PROCESSING.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., COARSE GROUND BEEF ‘FOR COOKING ONLY’, FAT: 15%.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., COARSE GROUND BEEF ‘FOR COOKING ONLY’.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., COARSE GROUND BEEF TO BE FURTHER PROCESSED INTO COOKED ITEMS, FAT: 15%.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., COARSE GROUND BEEF 85/15.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., COARSE GROUND BEEF 93/7.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., FINE GROUND BEEF ‘FOR COOKING ONLY’, FAT: 15%.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., FINE GROUND BEEF ‘FOR COOKING ONLY’.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., 90 - 10% GROUND BEEF, 3/16 GRIND.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., GROUND BEEF 1 LB. PACKAGE, FAT: 15%.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., GROUND BEEF, FAT: 15%.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., RAW BONELESS BEEF TRIMMINGS, ‘FOR COOKING ONLY’.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., RAW BONELESS BEEF, ‘FOR COOKING ONLY’.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., BEEF GROUND 50/50% LEAN.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., BEEF GROUND 73/27% LEAN.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., BEEF GROUND 81/19% LEAN.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., BONELESS BEEF 90/10.”
• Various weight boxes of “WESTLAND MEAT CO., GROUND PORK FOR FURTHER PROCESSING NOT TO EXCEED 30% FAT.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF TRI TIP.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF TOP SIRLOIN BUTT.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF STRIP SIRLOIN.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF RIB EYE LIP-ON.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF PISMO TENDERLOIN.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF O/S SKIRT.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF I/S SKIRT.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF FLANK STEAK.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF BOTTOM SIRLOIN FLAP.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF STRIP LOIN BONE-IN, FURTHER PROCESS 1X1.”
• Various weight boxes of “PACKED FOR: KING MEAT CO., BEEF EXPORT RIB 2X2, FURTHER PROCESS.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF RIBEYE ROLL LIP-ON.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF RIBEYE ROLL LIP-ON.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF PLATE, OUTSIDE SKIRT.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF PLATE, OUTSIDE SKIRT.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF PLATE, INSIDE SKIRT.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF PLATE, INSIDE SKIRT.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF LOIN, STRIP LOIN, BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF LOIN, STRIP LOIN, BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF LOIN, BOTTOM SIRLOIN BUTT, FLAP, BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF LOIN, BOTTOM SIRLOIN BUTT, FLAP, BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF LOIN, TOP SIRLOIN BUTT, BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF LOIN, TOP SIRLOIN BUTT, BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF LOIN, TENDERLOIN, FULL, SIDE MUSCLE ON, DEFATTED.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF LOIN, TENDERLOIN, FULL, SIDE MUSCLE ON, DEFATTED.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF FLANK STEAK.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF FLANK STEAK.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA SELECT, BEEF, BOTTOM SIRLOIN BUTT TRI TIP BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of REGAL brand “USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, BEEF, BOTTOM SIRLOIN BUTT TRI TIP BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF LIVERS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF FEET.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF TRIPE.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF REGULAR TRIPE.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF HONEYCOMB TRIPE.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF TAILS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF CHEEK MEAT.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF TONGUES.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF TONGUE TRIMMINGS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF BONELESS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF RIBS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF HEARTS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF CHEEKS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF PLATES.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF SMALL INTESTINES.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF LIPS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF SPLEENS.”
• Various weight boxes of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF SALIVARY GLANDS, LYMPH NODES AND FAT [TONGUES].”
• Six-gallon containers of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF BILE.”
• One- and six-gallon containers of “HALLMARK MEAT PACKING BEEF BLOOD, .2% SODIUM CITRATE ADDED.”

In school kitchens nationwide, school nutrition professionals maintain a superior food safety record through the use of trained staff and food safety procedures including HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) systems - a comprehensive approach to food safety that follows the flow of food through a foodservice operation to eliminate or reduce the risk of foodborne hazards. Among these procedures are examinations of foods as they are received by the kitchen as well as use of proper cooking and holding temperatures to ensure food is safe. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) data on school-based foodborne illness outbreaks indicate school nutrition programs across the country maintain exceptional food safety records.

SNA Members Asked to Provide Information Annual Milk Survey

February 15, 2008 -- The School Nutrition Association, the got milk? Milk Mustache Campaign (MilkPEP), and the National Dairy Council are asking School Nutrition Directors to take a few minutes to complete our annual school milk survey,  which will help us bring you effective programs that support your nutrition goals.  Please take a few minutes to complete the online survey and you could win one of three $125 stereo systems.   Click on the following link to take the survey and find out more.

http://www.surveyconsole.com/console/gateway/424910-0-0

As Food Prices Rise, School Nutrition Programs Feel the Pinch

February 14, 2008 -- Most people don’t need headlines to tell them that food prices are at record highs.  Take a look at the prices of fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products in your neighborhood grocery store.  They’re significantly higher than they were at this time last year.  Nightly news reports show that commodity items such as wheat and corn are closing in on unprecedented high prices.

At the end of January, the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a report showing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food is expected to rise approximately 3 to 4 percent in the next year.  In 2007, the CPI increased 4 percent, the biggest increase since 1990.  The CPI is one of the most reliable measurements for determining the cost of living – the average amount of money a person will spend to buy basic necessities such as food, clothing and housing. 

What’s driving the price of food up?  According to the report, there are many different reasons.  A major cause is that global grain supplies are very limited, forcing the price of items such as wheat and corn to reach historic highs.  In the United States, land that was once used to produce corn for food is now being used to cultivate food for ethanol.  With tighter supplies and less land, the price of corn is going up.

The increase of corn prices directly affects the cost of meat and dairy products.  A significant portion of the corn grown in the United States is used as feed for livestock.  As farmers pay more for feed, they pass the cost on to the consumer by raising the prices of meat and dairy.  Corn and wheat are both staple ingredients in many processed food products available in the grocery store.  As a result, these products are also increasing in price.

Rising fuel costs are also playing a role in the cost of food.  The price of oil hit records highs in January, with world oil prices just a few dollars shy of $100 a barrel. This caused energy costs, such as gasoline, to shoot up to a national average of over $3 a gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.  Like global grain supplies, the global oil supply is also tightening as industrializing nations such as China and India consume more.

Record Food Prices and School Lunch
The record high food prices are not only affecting the average consumer waiting in line at the grocery store.  School nutrition programs are also feeling the pinch of rising food costs. 

School nutrition programs are expected to be financially self-sufficient.  The programs rely mostly on revenue from paid school meals and federal reimbursements, instead of funds from the general school district budget.  School districts need to provide quality, affordable meals, while balancing nutrition requirements, student preferences and financial obligations.

Rising energy and grain prices are compounding financial pressures school nutrition programs already face.  Increasingly communities are calling for more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains for school meals.  These items are resulting in higher costs for school districts.

The rising cost of labor also contributes to increased costs for school programs.  On average, labor contributes to a significant portion of the expenses school nutrition programs incur.  Increasing salaries and wages for full-time and part-time employees and rising health insurance premiums are stressing the finances of many school nutrition programs.

As school nutrition programs continue to be challenged by the increasing costs of operating their programs, extra financial support is need to face these pressures.  Without additional funding from the federal, state, or local levels, school nutrition programs need to raise school lunch prices in order to operate in the black.

The School Nutrition Operations Report: The State of School Nutrition 2007 found that school lunch meal prices show consistent rates of increase over time. According to the Report, one-third of school districts increased full-paid lunch meal prices in the past school year, a small upswing from the number indicating a year-to-year meal charge increase in the 2005 Operations Report survey. Full-paid lunch meal prices increased a median of about 9%, or about five cents, and breakfast prices increased a median of about 15% in those districts that raised meal prices.

The Good News?
While prices in the immediate future continue to climb, history has shown that the markets will adjust and prices will stabilize.  According to ERS, the price of corn will continue to climb if corn remains the most efficient feed for livestock and ethanol remains a viable source of energy.  If alternatives to either of these are found, the price of corn will drop.  Additionally, if farmers increase production of corn, the price will also drop. Over time, food manufacturers and producers will also find ways of increasing efficiency or changing product formulas to limit the impact of high prices. 

In the meantime, however, school nutrition programs and consumers will continue to face challenges presented by the high prices. 

CN Showcase: Call for Posters

February 12, 2008 -- SNA is now accepting abstracts for the 18th Annual Child Nutrition Showcase, which will take place during SNA's Annual National Conference (ANC) on July 20-23rd in Philadelphia. Projects featured in the showcase should focus on key topic areas related to child nutrition programs. Deadline for submission is March 28, 2008.

This call for abstracts is open to anyone interested in submitting a project for presentation during the Child Nutrition Showcase. Best Practices abstracts will be reviewed by the SNA College Section Committee Chair before being accepted. Research abstracts will be peer-reviewed by several members of the SNA research committee and College Section.

All members are welcome to submit abstracts in either one of the two following categories:

• Research – findings or evaluation of a study, project or new program that contribute to knowledge and ideas in school nutrition
• Best Practices In School Nutrition – innovative methods, programs, policies, trainings, or projects that improve or advance school foodservice operations
Potential topic areas include:
• Local School Wellness Policies
• Food safety/new HACCP guideline implementation
• Marketing and customer service
• Purchasing and procurement
• Nutrition education
• Staff training and development
• Childhood obesity
• Facility Design
• All other topics pertinent to the advancement of school nutrition

Awards will be presented based on the two categories: 1) research and 2) best practices in school nutrition.
Abstracts can be submitted online using the following link.

SUBMIT POSTER ABSTRACT

For more information about the Child Nutrition Showcase, see the related links section.

Lift off your breakfast program with Fuel Your Imagination!

February 11, 2008 -- National School Breakfast Week (March 3-7, 2008) is fast approaching!  Are you ready to blast off to Planet Breakfast with ‘School Breakfast – Fuel Your Imagination’?

With breakfast rocket races and cereal eating aliens, this spaced based celebration is our biggest NSBW to date and the SNA Emporium is the only place for official merchandise and decorations. Find ‘out of this world’ t-shirts, aprons, posters, pencils, balloons and much more available at www.emporium.schoolnutrition.org.

Remember to order early for your materials to arrive in time for NSBW and we hope you have a stellar celebration!

How to Order
Phone: 1 800 728 0728
Online: www.emporium.schoolnutrition.org
Fax:  703 654 3001

Congressional Hearing Scheduled for LAC

February 8, 2007 -- The Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and Labor has tentatively scheduled a hearing for 3:00 PM on Tuesday, March 4.  The hearing will be on the school nutrition programs.  This is one of a series of recent hearings the committee has held on the school nutrition programs.  The Committee on Education and Labor is the House committee that has jurisdiction over the school nutrition programs.

Members of the committee include:

• Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), Chairwoman
• Representative Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.)
• Representative Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.)
• Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)
• Representative Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
• Representative John Sarbanes (D-Md.)
• Representative Jason Altmire (D-Pa.)
• Representative John Yarmuth (D-Ky.)

• Representative Todd “Russell” Platts (R-Pa.), Ranking Member
• Representative Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.)
• Representative Kenny Marchant (R-Texas)
• Delegate Luis G. Fortuño (R-P.R.)
• Representative David Davis (R-Tenn.)
• Representative Dean Heller (R-Nev.)

If your member of Congress is part of this committee and you plan to attend LAC, please thank them for holding this hearing and mention you hope to see them at the hearing. SNA members attending LAC have the option of attending the hearing when it does not conflict with individual visits with Members of Congress. Keep checking www.schoolnutrition.org for information additional information, including witnesses.

Two Events in Washington, DC, Raise Awareness of World Hunger

February 7, 2008 – Students in the nation’s capital have joined the fight to end world hunger. Nearly 300 students at Cardoza High School in Washington, DC, as well as local school foodservice directors, industry, SNA and Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF) staff, participated in the nationwide kick-off of the “Change Our World” promotion.

A two-day, fundraising campaign took place at SNA Headquarters on January 31, 2008, and Cardoza High School the following day, raising money for GCNF and generating excitement leading up to Global Child Nutrition Month, which takes place in April.  GCNF programs combat childhood hunger around the globe by advancing sustainable and effective school feeding programs.

Capital Kids
First, an event at SNA Headquarters brought together several school foodservice directors from Montgomery County (MD), Harford County (MD), Cecil County (MD), Prince William County (VA) and District of Columbia Public Schools with staff from SNA, GCNF, The Schwan Food Company™ and T. Furr & Associates to promote this campaign. The next day, several of the adults met with students at Cardozo for an assembly program. Barbara Belmont, CAE, Executive Director of SNA, shared with the kids that as many as 300 million of the world’s children—a number equal to the total population of the entire United States—are trapped in the grinding cycle of poverty and hunger.

David Goodman, Executive Director of Food Services for DC Public Schools, also encouraged the kids about their ability to make a difference.  Goodman is known in his district for improving the school lunches partly in response to student complaints about the poor quality of their previous cafeteria food.  These changes have received an overwhelming “thumbs up” from the kids—food sales in select schools have increased as much as 500%!

Donating Change
After the assembly, Cardoza students got the chance to take action, donating their spare change to end world hunger through the “Change Our World” campaign. During the lunch period, milk jugs were placed throughout the cafeteria to collect student donations. Their efforts attracted the attention of Washington, DC, Mayor Adrian Fenty and DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, who joined the students to sample the new lunch fare being offered and to take part in “Change Our World” campaign activities.

Altogether, these two events raised more than $800 for GCNF.  Part of the donations also went to the DC Central Kitchen, an area food bank. Most importantly, these events empowered kids in the capital of one of the world’s most powerful nations to reach out and help other kids both here and around the globe.

Get Involved
Through the “Change Our World” campaign, more than $22,000 already has been pledged by schools, companies and others to be raised between now and the end of Global Child Nutrition Month in April. School events are planned for the upcoming weeks in Texas, with more to follow. Learn more about what others are doing and discover how you can get involved, too. Check back next Wednesday for more information about celebrating Global Child Nutrition Month. To learn more and view media coverage of “Change Our World” events, see Related Links.

The Global Child Nutrition Foundation was created in 2006 with the mission of expanding opportunities for the world's children to receive adequate nutrition for learning and achieving their potential. It continues and expands upon the work of the Global Child Nutrition Forum, formerly conducted by SNA. Created in 1946, SNA advocates healthy nutrition for every child in the United States. The “Change Our World” campaign is sponsored by The Schwan Food Company™, a leader in frozen food services.

President Bush Releases FY 2009 Budget Request

February 5, 2008 -- On Monday, February 4, 2008, the Bush Administration proposed a $3.1 trillion budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009.  The proposed budget provides additional funding for military spending and for an economic stimulus package – part of an overall spending increase of 6.1% over the FY2008 budget. Spending cuts would be made in a number of domestic programs, with decreases in funding for several health and human services, labor and transportation program, among others. No cuts were proposed for the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program however the President once again proposed eliminating food stamp coverage for more than 300,000 people in low-income working families with children, a proposal made in past budgets but rejected by Congress.

The budget requests $95 billion for USDA in FY 2009, which is approximately the same level as in FY 2008.  Approximately 76 percent of expenditures, $72 billion, will fund mandatory programs required by law, such as most nutrition assistance programs and commodity programs.  The FY 2009 budget increases funding for the Child Nutrition Programs to $15.3 billion, an increase of $600 million over FY 2008.

Key Proposals from the FY 2009 USDA budget include:

• Support for balanced meals for school children via the National School Lunch Program serving in 2009 an estimated average of 32.1 million each day, up from about 31.5 million per day in 2008. 
• Funding for the Child Nutrition Programs at a level of $15.3 billion, an increase of approximately $600 million over the amount requested in FY 2008.  This level provides an increase to meet the projected participation growth and for food cost inflation.
• The proposed funding is critical for achieving the key performance measures of reducing hunger and childhood overweight, improving participation rates, ensuring that all free and reduced price meal eligible children are correctly certified, and improving the appeal and nutrition quality of meals while meeting requirements set forth by local school wellness policies.

Mandatory Programs and Financing (in millions of dollars)

Discretionary Activities (in millions of dollars)

The budget request also includes support for the Food Service Management Institute and Information Clearing House and reauthorization activities, appropriating $19 million. The President's Budget also includes funding for the USDA legislative proposals to increase fresh fruit and vegetable purchases in the National School Lunch Program and to conduct a school food purchase study every five years.

Find a Strong “Foundation” With SN Magazine

February 5, 2008 -- With all of the demands that you face each day, who has time to gather resources for professional development, look for scholarships or conduct research? That’s why the School Nutrition Association is very fortunate to have the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) as its sister organization. Learn more about the Foundation in this month’s issue of School Nutrition magazine.

The Foundation was established in 1964 to assist SNA members with continuing education and training, financial assistance and new research in child nutrition. It helps to map out all the possibilities for your career, your operation—and the school nutrition profession as a whole.

It’s time you heard the whole story about what the Foundation can do for you and your colleagues. What can you discover about SNF’s professional development programs and other initiatives? How does the Foundation decide to create and launch a new program? Does SNF compete with SNA? “Like a Rock” explains that the very heart of the Foundation’s mission is to be a resource you can use.

Next, you love school nutrition, you’ve got the ambition, but what do you do about the tuition? “Dollars for Scholars” explains how SNF’s tuition assistance program has helped members earn degrees from high school and college. If you ever have toyed with the idea of going back to school, this is one way to receive help with the costs of tuition and books. And now is the time to do it. The next deadline for applications is coming up fast: April 15, 2008.

But what about your day-to-day responsibilities? SNF’s research benefits SNA members at the local level, as well as the national level. “Research: What’s in it for Me?” reviews the surprising impact of three topics that were researched in the last year by SNA and the Foundation.

Another strength of SNF lies in its ability to raise funds for all of the programs it offers. In fact, you might be able to use some of its techniques for your own fundraisers! In “Show Me the Money,” learn from seasoned fundraisers within SNF and SNA, as well as professional experts, about how you can bring in much-needed dollars for your state affiliate or local chapter.

Education. Research. Scholarship. The Foundation brings you the best in all three of these critical areas, and SN magazine keeps you up to date so you can stay on the cutting edge of school foodservice. Now that’s a strong “foundation”!

2008 Summer Food Service Program Reimbursement Rates Published

February 4, 2007 -- The Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has published the reimbursement rates for the 2008 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The rates were effective as of January 1, 2008. 

Reimbursement rates for the SFSP for 2008 reflect an 4.1 percent increase in the cost of living over last year.  The maximum allowable operational reimbursement for lunch or suppers in the continental U.S. is $3.0375, up to $1.7275 for breakfast, and $0.7175 for snacks, depending on the type of service and location.  Higher rates apply in Alaska and Hawaii. 

The Summer Food Service Program provides students with meals during the summer time and when school is out of session.  The program is one of the most underutilized federal nutrition programs. In 2005, less than 18 percent of low-income children who received a school lunch during the school year received a meal during the summer months.   

For additional information regarding the rates, please visit Related Links.