Child Nutrition Act

The U.S. Senate on June 23 passed S. 2507, the Child Nutrition and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Reauthorization Act of 2004.  The bill contained compromise language from a House bill.  The House passed S. 2507 by unanimous consent on June 24, foregoing the need for a conference.  The current statute was set to expire on June 30, so the President’s signature on S. 2507 will be needed before that date.

The purpose of the bill is to promote healthy diets, nutrition education, and physical activity while preserving local control of schools.

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act would:

• Promote nutrition education and physical activity at the state and local level to prevent childhood obesity;

• Require local wellness policies designed and implemented at the local level, and authorize the Department of Agriculture to provide technical assistance, if requested by the school or school district, in implementing healthy school environments.  The content of local wellness policies would be decided by local parents, teachers, administrators, school food service, school boards, and the public.  The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act would not permit the federal government to dictate to local school districts the content of wellness policies to encourage nutrition and physical activity;

• Continue current policy encouraging all children to consume cow’s milk, yet give schools the option to offer a nutritionally equivalent non-dairy substitute to children who cannot drink cow’s milk for medical or other special dietary reasons;

• Authorize the continuation and expansion of the Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program, which provides free fresh and dried fruits and fresh vegetables, to eight states and three Indian reservations;

• Ensure food safety by maintaining and strengthening quality and safety standards and improving meal quality; and

• Strengthen partnerships between local farms, school gardens, and child nutrition programs to ensure fresh, local produce can go from the farms to schools.