No More Junk

[dogday]

A proposed federal bill would ban unhealthy foods in school cafeterias and vending machines, but can the legislation get past the food industry?

April 18, 2006 - Move over, French fries. Fruit cups may soon be the side of choice—during school hours, at least. Proposed legislation, introduced this month, could replace the typical fast-food fare found in most school cafeterias and campus vending machines with healthy alternatives. Sponsored by Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Democrat Sen. Tom Harkin (Iowa), the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act would update the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nutritional standards by which schools now abide, extending those standards to outside vendors who wish to sell inside public schools.

It's not the first time such a bill has been proposed; Harkin has been pushing for such legislation since the early 90s. But with the emergence of new diet studies and increasing public awareness about the costs and scope of obesity-related healthcare, Murkowski believes the bill has found new life—and bipartisan support. It's also been endorsed by a number of scientific and educational institutions, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the National Parent Teacher Association and the School Nutrition Association.

The challenge, Murkowski says, will be winning concessions from commercial food giants like The Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo and Mars Inc., which have a strong financial investment in the sale of snack foods on campus. In addition, many schools worry that the proposed ban would cost them thousands of dollars they earn from the sale of these products—revenue of which is often used for after-school activities such as sports and other student programs. NEWSWEEK’s Jessica Bennett spoke with Murkowski about why she joined Harkin in support of the bill, and, if it passes, what it could mean for schools, vending companies, and most importantly—students. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: Why introduce this bill now?
Sen. Lisa Murkowski: Sen. Harkin has been working on this issue for years, and I joined him in the effort to really update and upgrade the minimal nutritional standards that are set out by the Department of Agriculture. These standards haven’t been updated in 30 years. As we look at what we know about food and nutritional values, we know we’ve learned a lot in 30 years and yet we haven’t upgraded them.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12359367/site/newsweek/

[sam sarrha]

1. not a chance.. the Golden Rule... the guys with the Gold make the Rules

[insane_cratic_gal]

3. But the guys with gold are contributing to childhood obesity

Soda, chips, ice cream, fruit-roll ups.. and every other 100 percent sugar item being pushed across the isle is terrible.

It's so bad at our small little school that gets the food shipped in from off-site because we don't have a kitchen/cafeteria in the school. I police my child's lunch menus!
French toast and syurp..with sausage and corn syrup soaked pears. The kids then only get 20 mins of recess a day IF they are good and the teacher managed her time wisely!! (wtf is that about). They get gym once a week for 40 mins.

You can't feed kids that type of food deny them recess and activity due to your own scheduling issues or one kids mess up (punish the child not the whole class) and not expect them to be healthy?

LOL don't ever get me going! No child left behind bullshit mixed in with no recess(usually as a result of teaching for a test) mixed in with Corn Syrup for lunch! Is enough to send me over the edge.

[rodeodance]

2. its already happening in many school distrists. Google it. There is also

a new Fed law that says schools must have a healthy school policy in place by this fall.