To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Don't Let Congress Reverse Healthy USDA Guidelines!!!
We the undersigned are against the Agriculture Spending Bill that would undo the efforts by the USDA to make healthier school lunches.
Why is this important?
We as concerned parents, people of the community, and advocates to fight childhood obesity, want Congress to stop the bill that would reverse the progress the USDA is trying to make to make federally funded school lunches healthier.
The proposed Agriculture Spending Bill that Congress, the frozen food manufacturers, and potato grower lobbyists are trying to pass would:
1. Block the USDA from limiting starchy vegetables to two servings a week (which include french fries, tater tots, etc).
2. Count tomato paste on pizza as a vegetable!!!
3. Require 'further study' on long term sodium reduction (meaning the school lunches can still contain high amounts of salt/sodium)
4. The USDA would have to define 'whole grains' before they regulate them (so school lunches would not have to incorporate more whole grains as asked by the USDA)
All of these measures are attempts for private food manufacturers to put profits ahead of children's health and we as a members of the public want Congress to NOT pass this bill and think of the 1 in 4 children who are obese and the 1 in 3 adults who are obese. Our country is facing an epidemic as confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control. Billions of US taxpayer's money is spent on the many diseases associated with obesity - don't sell us out!
1. Block the USDA from limiting starchy vegetables to two servings a week (which include french fries, tater tots, etc).
2. Count tomato paste on pizza as a vegetable!!!
3. Require 'further study' on long term sodium reduction (meaning the school lunches can still contain high amounts of salt/sodium)
4. The USDA would have to define 'whole grains' before they regulate them (so school lunches would not have to incorporate more whole grains as asked by the USDA)
All of these measures are attempts for private food manufacturers to put profits ahead of children's health and we as a members of the public want Congress to NOT pass this bill and think of the 1 in 4 children who are obese and the 1 in 3 adults who are obese. Our country is facing an epidemic as confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control. Billions of US taxpayer's money is spent on the many diseases associated with obesity - don't sell us out!