WASHINGTON, September 14, 2012 - TODAY at 11:45 a.m. EDT, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan and Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Janey Thornton will host a media conference call to announce new grants to support schools as they strive to serve healthy food, provide nutrition education, and create an environment focused on healthy eating and physical activity.
Funded in support of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the training grants will assist schools in meeting the new school meal requirements, encourage HealthierUS School Challenge participation, support students' nutritious choices by structuring the cafeteria environment in a way that encourages the selection of healthy foods, and promote healthier environments to align with the Local Wellness Policy requirements established in the Act.
USDA is awarding grants to 18 States and one territory including Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
This school year, 32 million students across the country are benefiting from new meal standards for the National School Lunch Program for the first time in more than fifteen years. The healthier school meals are a key component of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was championed by the First Lady as part of her Let's Move! campaign and signed into law by President Obama.
