USDA hails US$3B Congress deal on child nutrition

23 Jun 2022 --- US Congress has clinched a deal set to extend child nutrition waivers, due to expire at the end of the month. Hailing the move, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) says this brings a measure of relief in schools, where healthy nutrition for children has been uncertain.

The bill is the result of a $3 billion deal for funding reached by Senator Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Democrat; Republican Senator John Boozman of Arkansas, Democratic Representative Bobby Scott of Virginia and Republican Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina.

Congress is expected to pass the bill by the end of this week. As it stands, the bill is a temporary act meant to extend the current waivers by three more months. This extension is due to expire again on September 30.

“USDA’s child nutrition programs provide nutritious meals to America’s children,” says the USDA. “The school and other nutrition professionals who make these meals possible need additional resources and continued flexibilities as they grapple with the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic.”

Tackling supply chain issues
The bill itself does not include much in the way of new legislation, nor does it extend the universal free lunch program, which began in 2020. What it does do is lower the eligibility limitations for families to participate in US schools’ free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs by increasing the maximum amount a family can earn and still qualify by 85%. 

Though many had hoped that the bill would be similar to California’s Child Nutrition Act of 2022 that the state passed in January, it has still received praise from Republicans and Democrats alike. 

“As I visit with our school nutrition professionals, it is quite clear that they need continued flexibilities to cope with ongoing supply chain issues,” says Senator Boozman. 

“I am pleased that after lengthy bipaThe USDA states that this bill must pass to address children’s nutritional needs.rtisan negotiations, we were able to come to an agreement to extend the waivers in a manner that is fully paid for.”

The California bill provides additional reimbursements for meals that offer plant-based options, including plant-based milks. The California bill also allows schools in grades 1–6 to provide breakfast and lunch to non-school age children, provided they have a student sibling. The federal bill also provides increased reimbursements – 40 cents for every lunch and 15 cents for every breakfast – for the next three months. 

The pandemics toll on child nutrition
The pandemic presented US families with a plethora of problems, including layoffs, lockdowns, supply shortages and inflation. 

The original child nutrition waivers were passed in order to alleviate some of that burden by providing free school meals to all US children. These waivers also funded the continuation of these programs during the summer months. If passed, the new bill will do the same for those who qualify.

A recent study conducted by Washington State University (WSU) revealed that food insecurity could have lasting effects on overall health. WSU’s findings showed that these experiences can dramatically increase the risk of developing diabetes later in life. 

A similar study found that the pandemic accelerated weight gain in children and could likely be attributed to decreased participation in the USDA’s school meals program. 

The report also states that one in five children are obese and at risk for developing Type-II diabetes. This represents a newer trend as Type-II diabetes used to be known as “adult-onset diabetes” because young people and children rarely contracted it. 

Still a precarious situation
Placed alongside the recent supply chain issues, the pandemic and its effects continue to place US children in a state of precarity. The pandemic, inflation and supply shortages have placed US families in a state of ongoing precarity.

A poll taken in April states that more than 75% of US parents have started purchasing supplements for their children to offset the rising cost of nutritious foods. This poll comes on the tail of staggering inflation, which sent worldwide food prices to a 10-year high. 

The USDA holds that the passing of the new is paramount to children’s health, especially during the coming summer months, saying it “would ease uncertainty and bring a measure of relief to our schools, summer sites and child care feeding programs.”

It further affirms that the US, its schools, and its children are still facing an ongoing crisis and vows to “use every tool at our disposal to ensure kids get the nutritious meals they need and deserve."

Edited by William Bradford Nichols