Stabenow asks AGree, National Geographic audience to help with child nutrition program reauthorization
November 20, 2014 | 04:14 PM
In what appeared to be the start of the debate over reauthorization of the child nutrition programs next year, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., asked a group of agricultural leaders of all types assembled at the National Geographic Society this week to help continue policies toward healthier eating.
“We have a five-year authorization coming up,” noted Stabenow, who will become the ranking member on the committee next year when the Republicans control the Senate and the bill is considered.
“Are we going to move forward or backward?” Stabenow asked in a veiled reference to Republican proposals to roll back some of the healthier meal rules under the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.
The bill, she said, should provide healthy breakfasts and lunch, after school snacks, summer feeding programs and school gardens.
Stabenow said her strong commitment to child nutrition programs came from hearing from retired generals from the Mission: Readiness organization testify that too many 20-year-olds are too overweight to serve in the military.
“This is a national security crisis,” she said.
Stabenow also thanked the agriculture leaders for helping push the 2014 farm bill to finalization when the farm-to-table coalition that has supported farm bills in the past “frayed in the U.S. House.”
Stabenow said she had “fought for every inch” in the farm bill and that sometimes it was a fight not to move backwards.
“But we didn’t move backwards because of that coalition that was put together,” she said.
Noting that the bill had strengthened risk management tools, ended “wasteful direct payments that were passed out even when money wasn’t needed,” created a new public-private research foundation and avoided changing the structure of the food stamp program, Stabenow said, “This is the most progressive farm bill ever.”
“Providing all people with healthy food is the bottom line” of her efforts, she said.
“We have a five-year authorization coming up,” noted Stabenow, who will become the ranking member on the committee next year when the Republicans control the Senate and the bill is considered.
“Are we going to move forward or backward?” Stabenow asked in a veiled reference to Republican proposals to roll back some of the healthier meal rules under the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.
The bill, she said, should provide healthy breakfasts and lunch, after school snacks, summer feeding programs and school gardens.
Stabenow said her strong commitment to child nutrition programs came from hearing from retired generals from the Mission: Readiness organization testify that too many 20-year-olds are too overweight to serve in the military.
“This is a national security crisis,” she said.
Stabenow also thanked the agriculture leaders for helping push the 2014 farm bill to finalization when the farm-to-table coalition that has supported farm bills in the past “frayed in the U.S. House.”
Stabenow said she had “fought for every inch” in the farm bill and that sometimes it was a fight not to move backwards.
“But we didn’t move backwards because of that coalition that was put together,” she said.
Noting that the bill had strengthened risk management tools, ended “wasteful direct payments that were passed out even when money wasn’t needed,” created a new public-private research foundation and avoided changing the structure of the food stamp program, Stabenow said, “This is the most progressive farm bill ever.”
“Providing all people with healthy food is the bottom line” of her efforts, she said.
