Share Your Comments: Tell USDA You Want to Keep the National School Lunch Program Strong and Available to All Children

By MB -
Lunch boxesFrom our friends at FRAC

Through September 15, USDA will be accepting comments on its interim rule, National School Lunch Program: School Food Service Account Revenue Amendments Related to the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

Follow this link to find out how to submit comments.

SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS
Tell USDA how it can lessen the possible negative impact of increased school lunch prices on vulnerable families and the viability of the program itself.

And tell USDA that you support the requirement for schools to generate as much revenue as they spend on nonprogram foods (commonly called “competitive foods”).

Click here to find FRAC model comments (MS Word document).

The proposed regulations are open to public comment through September 15, 2011.

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WHAT’S IN THE RULE?
This interim rule requires school districts to increase their paid school lunch fees each year if they are charging less than the federal free lunch reimbursement rate. This provision is expected to decrease participation in the National School Lunch Program among children who are not qualified for free or reduced-price school meals. USDA’s cost benefit analysis of the rule estimates that 1.6 million children who live in households with incomes between 185 and 200 percent of poverty will be impacted negatively by the rule.

The rule also requires schools to conduct cost-accounting of their nonprogram foods (i.e. a la carte, snack bar and other vended snacks) to ensure that they generate enough revenue to cover costs. This provision of the rule is expected to generate increased participation and revenue in the National School Lunch Program.

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