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Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced additional support for schools working to serve school children healthy meals with the nationwide expansion of the Team Up for School Nutrition Success Initiative. The initiative will provide school nutrition personnel across the country tailored technical assistance and peer to peer mentoring. 

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced the availability of up to $4 million in funding for states to support implementation of new national professional standards for all school nutrition employees who manage and operate the national school lunch and breakfast programs.  

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced that more than half of the nation’s high-poverty schools are now offering breakfasts and lunches to students at no cost through the new Community Eligibility Provision, made possible by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The provision improves access to nutritious meals for low-income students while reducing administrative burdens for households and schools.

Today USDA announced the selection of eight states to participate in the Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables, as directed by the Agricultural Act of 2014, also known as the Farm Bill. Under the pilot, California, Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin will be able to increase their purchases of locally-grown fruits and vegetables for their school meal programs.

Today, Agriculture Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon announced new flexibility for school districts working to meet updated whole grain requirements for school meals. During the current school year, USDA received feedback from schools that the whole grain rich products currently on the market did not hold together when produced in large quantities for school cafeterias. Based on this input, schools that demonstrate significant challenges in serving whole-grain rich pastas can now continue serving traditional enriched pasta products for up to two more years, as industry works to develop healthy pasta that works for schools.

Congress passed the Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010 with bipartisan support to help ensure every American child had access to the nutrition they need to grow into healthy adults. One goal of the law was to help reduce America's childhood obesity epidemic and reduce health risks for America's children by helping schools across the country produce balanced meals so children had access to healthy foods during the school day. USDA based the new school meal standards on independent, expert recommendations from the Institute of Medicine to ensure kids are being fed healthy food while they are at school.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the USDA is awarding $25 million in grants to help schools purchase needed kitchen equipment as they continue to provide school lunches and breakfasts that give children the nutrition they need to learn and grow.

Secretary Tom Vilsack visited a Chicago school today to encourage more Chicago-area schools and community-based organizations to participate in USDA's summer meal programs to help ensure no child goes hungry during the summer months. 

Secretary Vilsack today announced grants for 71 projects spanning 42 states and the District of Columbia that support the USDA efforts to connect school cafeterias with local farmers and ranchers through its Farm to School program.

Secretary Vilsack today highlighted important strides made in offering healthy, local food to millions of school children through USDA's Farm to School program, and emphasized the program's role in creating economic opportunity for America's farmers and ranchers.

Secretary Vilsack today discussed USDA efforts to improve school meals and outlined the need for a renewed commitment to improve childhood nutrition, which will lead to a healthier generation of Americans.

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced the release of a request for applications for the latest round of USDA's Farm to School grants. These grants help eligible schools improve the health and wellbeing of their students and connect with local agricultural producers.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled new standards for school meals that will result in healthier meals for kids across the nation. The new meal requirements will raise standards for the first time in more than fifteen years and improve the health and nutrition of nearly 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs every school day. The healthier meal requirements are a key component of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was championed by the First Lady as part of her Let’s Move! campaign and signed into law by President Obama.

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced that America's students will see healthier and more nutritious foods in the cafeteria as they return to school this year.

Undersecretary Kevin Concannon today announced additional investments in the national school meal programs that will protect taxpayer dollars while providing healthy school meals for low-income kids. The Administrative Review and Training Grants help states improve their operational accuracy in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. The grants highlight the work of states in improving the integrity and efficiency of program administration and delivery.

USDA FNS Deputy Under Secretary announced that 3,717 schools are now certified in the HUSSC, an initiative that boosts the health and nutrition of the nation’s schoolchildren. 

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon announced today that the District of Columbia, New York, Ohio and West Virginia were selected to use an innovative option to reduce administrative paperwork and costs, while making it easier for eligible children in low-income communities to receive free meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced increased support for schools across the nation as they implement healthier and more nutritious school meal standards for America’s kids. Schools will be reimbursed an additional 6 cents for each lunch they serve in accordance with the new standards.

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced today that USDA will be investing in farm to school programs nationwide to help eligible schools improve the health and wellbeing of their students and connect with local agricultural producers.

Secretary Tom Vilsack joined First Lady Michelle Obama to honor schools taking part in USDA's HealthierUS School Challenge. The Challenge recognizes schools that create healthier school environments by providing exceptional nutrition education, nutritious food and beverage choices, physical education and opportunities for physical activity.