Congress misses deadline on school-lunch reauthorization

While Congress failed to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act by its expiration date of Sept. 30, school foodservice directors have a safety net in place.

Cathy Schuchart, the School Nutrition Association’s vice president of government affairs and media relations, said Thursday that the continuing resolution passed Wednesday to fund the federal government through Dec. 11 covers all CNA programs and provisions. In other words, operators won’t suddenly lose reimbursement for free and reduced lunches.

“Everything’s status-quo,” she said.

Schuchart pointed to recent attention-grabbing events such as Pope Francis’ visit to Washington and House Speaker John Boeher’s (R-Ohio) resignation announcement as possible reasons for the reauthorization delay.

Until the Child Nutrition Act is reauthorized, school foodservice managers will have to continue meeting provisions of the measure that studies have shown to be costly, wasteful and only marginally effective in getting children to eat more healthfully. 

In particular, the SNA has called for setting new sodium reduction levels of 1,230-1,420 mg. and suspending further decreases; restoring the Act’s initial requirement that at least half of grains offered must be whole-grain-rich instead of all-grain; and allow operators to decide whether students are required to take a fruit or vegetable as part of a reimbursable meal. 

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