NAAO supports CSPI’s NANA policy priorities:

    •    Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program – Received $70 million/year in mandatory funding to fund national expansion of the program to 35 schools per state in every state. Currently, funding is $15 million/year and funds 25 schools per state in 14 states and 3 Indian Tribal Organizations.

    •    Department of Defense Fresh Program – Increased funding to $75 million/yr in FY’10, FY’11 and FY’12. The program currently is funded at $50 million/year.

    •    Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE) – The House bill includes two FSNE provisions: 1) “Sense of the Congress” language stating that the Secretary of Agriculture should support and encourage the most effective interventions for nutrition education, including public health approaches as well as traditional education, in the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program.
2) An amendment offered by Representative Schmidt that was passed on a voice vote. The Schmidt amendment states that "State agencies may deliver nutrition education directly to eligible persons". The inclusion of the word 'directly' to eligible persons may limit program activities only to traditional direct education. NANA’s recommendation is for states to have the option to include public health approaches as well as direct education.

    •    Human Nutrition Research – Includes “Sense of Congress” language stating that human nutrition research has the potential for improving the health status of Americans and reducing costs to Federal health programs, and that increased funding for this research is justified. NANA advocates that the final Farm Bill include $200 million per year in new money for research at USDA, with a strong emphasis on food and human nutrition research.

    

    •    Section 32 Fruit and Vegetable Purchases – doubles purchases of fruits, vegetables and nuts through “Section 32” funds over the life of the Farm Bill.

    

    •    Farmers Market EBT Program -- provides $35 million over five years, of which not less 10% of the funds shall be used to support the use of electronic benefit transfers at Farmers Markets, allowing food stamp recipients to use their benefits at Farmers Markets.

 

Other nutrition provisions in the bill:

    

    •    Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program – Authorized increase in funding to $75 million/year by FY’12.

    

    •    Initiative to Address Obesity among Low-Income Americans – Authorized at $10 million/year for competitive demonstration grants.

 

    •    Healthy Oils Incentive Program – Authorized a temporary incentive program to encourage the development of oilseeds to increase the production of healthy oils that replace trans fats in foods.

 

    •    Purchases of Locally Produced Foods – Encourages schools receiving federal funds for their meal programs to purchase locally produced foods.

 

Margo Wootan and Joy Johanson

http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/nana.html