Stivers bill leads to nutritional flexibility for schools

Published January 13, 2013

By Aaron Martin from the Ripon Advance

Bipartisan legislation introduced by Reps. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) and Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) was recently incorporated into new USDA rules that provide more flexibility in school nutritional programs.

USDA’s School Lunch Program, which was established in 2010, capped the amount of calories students could receive from grain and protein. Opponents of the rule noted that the caloric cap was the same for students in kindergarten and eighth grade.

Stivers and Fudge introduced the School Nutrition Flexibility Act to give more flexibility to school administrators to provide nutritious meals.

“We cannot expect to properly educate our children if they are hungry at school,” Stivers said. “Our children are our future. As the father of two young children, I believe we must acknowledge that students of varying ages have different food portion needs. I was glad to see the USDA implement this common-sense reform through the rule process.”

In response to legislative efforts, the USDA lifted its caloric cap on meat and grain intake among students for the 2012 to 2013 school year. Its recent announcement makes the change permanent.

Under the USDA’s final rule, schools will be compliant with meal requirements of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act if they meet minimum weekly requirements for grain, meat or meat substitutes, as well as total caloric ranges.

http://riponadvance.com/news/stivers-bill-leads-nutritional-flexibility-schools/6192