SNA Members Meet in DC to Lobby Congress, Discuss Issues

Around a thousand school nutrition professionals from across the nation have gathered in Washington, DC, for the 41st annual Legislative Action Conference (LAC) of the School Nutrition Association (SNA).

LAC comes at a critical time for school nutrition professionals, who continue to implement new nutrition standards for school meals and discuss recently proposed standards for “competitive foods” sold in school a la carte lines, snack bars and vending machines.

The conference features discussions on these topics and a “Charge to the Hill” on Tuesday, March 5th, when attendees head to the US Capitol to discuss priorities outlined in SNA’s 2013 Legislative Issue Paper, such as The Sensible School Lunch Act, introduced in the Senate to eliminate weekly limits on grains and proteins served with school meals permanently.

The LAC runs through Wednesday, March 6, at the JW Marriott Hotel. Key events include...

• General sessions featuring a discussion on new research in the field of school nutrition and a USDA presentation on proposed nutrition standards for school snacks. (March 4);

• A Capitol Hill Reception hosted by SNA in the Cannon Caucus Room (March 5, 5:00pm);

• Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), Ranking Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee; Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and Representative Marcia Fudge (D-OH) discussing school nutrition issues (March 6, 8:30am).