Start Vending Now The One Stop, Vending Information Shop

$8 Billion for Child Nutrition

Representative George Miller (D-Calif.) unveiled a $8 billion dollar bill that proposes additional funding for child nutrition over the course of 10 years.

With the promotional support of Food Network star Rachael Ray, the program hopes to improve on the focus of Michelle Obama's energetic campaign called Let's Move. Both will fight against the growing tide of concern over childhood obesity in America.

The slightly overused statistic points to the obesity rates in America; one-third of American children are overweight or obese. The bill proposed by Rep. George Miller is called the Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act of 2010.

One main focus of the bill is to develop the standards and guidelines of the Department of Agriculture sets for food sold in vending machines, and in buffet type food lines. It calls for only low-fat milk to be sold in lunch lines as well.

There is a similar measure in the Senate that also accounts for a $4.5 billion dollar increase in funding, and the House bill calls for an extra six cents for each school lunch.

More of the funding includes potentially redesigning cafeterias to encourage healthier choices, and also the provision for grants for breakfast programs and other meal services.

Other food advocates believe that more money will be needed to change the system. With pizza being the primary food choice in schools, the current way simply is not beneficial to health - because of the overabundance of refined sugars and fats. Overall, the federal funding for school lunches seems lackluster, and many think that each meal might need to be increased two-fold in cost to provide better quality food.

If the bill proposed by Rep. George Miller passes, this will be the first time since 1972 that the Congress has added onto the reimbursement rate for school meals.

Many advocates have worked hard for years on end trying to eliminate the overabundance of calories at school cafeterias. Some have worked for over 10 years trying to get whole-milk out of the cafeterias.

But, the bill could be affected by the time-line of the current child nutrition funding. That bill, which sets the funds available to the child nutrition program, will expire on Sept. 30. If a replacement bill isn't passed in its place by that time-frame, an extension will most likely need to be granted on the original bill.

For additional information on the bill proposed by Rep. George Miller please visit Congressman proposes $8 billion for child nutrition on The Washington Post.

by Carl Drummond