Tell USDA Secretary Perdue: Don't play politics with our kids health.

Tell USDA Secretary Perdue: Moms say NO to cutting healthy school meals!

It just doesn't add up. The healthy school meal standards have been successful, any way you slice it. Here are the facts on how very well it’s working:

Over 99% of schools are already meeting the healthy standards [1]
Kids like healthier school lunches, and are eating more of them! [2] This includes more fruits and vegetables. [3]
The majority of kids like the healthier meals. [4]
The majority of parents support healthy school meals and snacks, including a reduction in salt. [4]
Kids are throwing out less food than before the meal standards went into effect [5]
Schools have maintained or increased revenues from food sales [6]

Yet USDA Secretary Perdue has proposed rolling back or delaying important standards around sodium, whole grains and low-fat milk. Again, in spite of the fact that almost all schools are already succeeding in meeting those targets.

Join us to tell Secretary Perdue cutting healthy school meals doesn't add up. -->

[1] https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cn/SFAcert_FY16Q4.pdf

[2] http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/infographics/students-parents-support-healthier-school-meals.html and http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2014/rwjf414549

[3] http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/chi.2015.0019

[4] http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/infographics/parents-support-healthier-school-food-standards.html and http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/surveys_and_polls/2014/rwjf415456

[5] http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/articles-and-news/2015/03/students-eat-more-fruit-and-throw-away-less-food-with-new-health.html

[6] http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(16)30021-6/fulltext

To: USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue:

I oppose your proposal to weaken school nutrition. Most schools are making great progress toward serving healthier meals with less salt; more whole grains; fruits, and vegetables; and no artificial trans fat, and removing soda and junk food. We should build on that progress, not stop it.

The three-year delay of the second sodium reduction targets for school meals would lock in unsafe levels of sodium. Many schools and food service companies are working toward or already providing healthy and appealing meals with less salt. Any remaining challenges can be addressed through technical assistance.

Unfortunately, nine out of ten children consume too much salt, increasing their risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Delaying the second phase of sodium reduction from the originally scheduled School Year 2017-2018 to School Year 2021-2022 puts children's health at risk and would result in kids consuming an extra 84 teaspoons of salt (over the course of the three-year delay).

There is also no need to continue the whole-grain waivers. 85 percent of schools are providing kids with appealing and tasty whole-grain options. If all schools in Alabama, Idaho, and Montana can serve whole grains to their students, schools in the rest of the states should be able to as well.

Eating more whole grains is associated with reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, provides more nutrients, and are a healthful source of fiber. Kids on average consume too few whole grains and too many refined grains.

Rather than weakening school nutrition, I urge the administration to support school efforts to continue the progress to improve school food.

Sincerely,

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