[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15670]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK

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                           HON. KURT SCHRADER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 14, 2011

  Mr. SCHRADER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National School Lunch 
Week and National Farm to School Month in support of our National 
School Lunch Programs and to express my concern regarding some of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture's proposed rule changes to the program. 
As the representative of the fifth district of Oregon, I am committed 
to improving the contribution of the school meal program to the 
nutritional needs of school children.
  A recent Gallup poll found that 19 percent of American families are 
food insecure. According to a study by the USDA, nearly 17 million 
American children struggle with hunger. This same study concluded that 
13.7 percent of households in my home state of Oregon suffered from 
food ``insecurity'' meaning they lacked consistent access to adequate 
amounts of nutritious food. That is over 500,000 Oregonians. One of our 
most important programs that is essential in helping hold the line on 
hunger and food insecurity is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program or SNAP. As of August 2011, over 780,000 people in Oregon 
depended on SNAP to help piece together their food budgets.
  Over one-half of our students in Oregon, over 280,000, are eligible 
for free or reduced priced lunch. A decade ago that percentage was only 
one-third. For these students, the availability of the National School 
Lunch, School Breakfast, and Afterschool Meal programs shield them from 
hunger and increase their family's food security. School meals are 
important to ensure all low-income students receive proper nutrition. 
Not only do school meals help reduce hunger, but they also increase the 
health of children and their ability to learn.
  With this increased demand for free or reduced priced meals at 
school, we need to recognize the added burden this puts on already 
strained budgets. Changes to the school meal plans must consider the 
constraints faced by school lunch providers. School lunch providers 
need to offer nutritious affordable options that children will eat and 
that will encourage continued high rates of participation. For many 
children, the school meals are their prime source of nutrition for the 
day. Changes that discourage participation will reduce the overall 
health and wellness of American children.
  While 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommends higher consumption of fruits 
and vegetables, the proposal would eliminate some of the most popular 
and economical vegetables available to schools. Contrary to 
recommendations made in the Guidelines, USDA would limit servings of 
vegetables children actually like, including corn, green peas, potatoes 
and lima beans, to one cup per child per week, without providing any 
compelling reason for doing so. Vegetables in this subgroup provide 
excellent nutritional value. This limit would not improve nutrition 
intake, but would have an adverse affect on the affordability, 
participation rates and nutrition quality of school meals. In this time 
of economic uncertainty, we cannot overlook the unintended consequences 
of these new and conflicting standards.
  The 2010 Guidelines list four ``nutrients of concern''--potassium, 
dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D--adding that intake of these 
nutrients is ``low enough to be of public health concern'' in both 
children and adults. Potatoes, for example, have more potassium than 
bananas, a food commonly associated with this nutrient. Lima beans 
contain 21 percent of the DV of fiber and 12 percent of the DV for 
potassium. Green peas are rich in iron and vitamins A, B6, and C. By 
limiting the serving of these vegetables, USDA's proposal runs contrary 
to the Guidelines.
  Furthermore, this rule would have a negative impact on the businesses 
all across the country, including the many food producers that I 
represent in the 5th District of Oregon. For example, NORPAC Foods, 
Inc., headquartered in Stayton, Oregon, is a 240 farmer-member 
cooperative, farming 45,000 acres and, with its associate farmers and 
processors, producing over 600,000,000 pounds annually. Providing 
schools with nutrient rich vegetables, including lima beans and green 
peas, is an important part of NORPAC's business. At this time of 
economic downturn, USDA should not impose rules that close markets for 
American farmers without strong nutritional justification.
  In conclusion, as we recognize National School Lunch Week and the 
positive impact this program has on the children in our nation, I would 
encourage the USDA to revisit its proposal and write a rule that does 
not put limitations on school nutritionists' choices in how to best 
feed hungry children or put further economic pressures on schools or 
the food companies that supply our schools.

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