Fw: Help Make Healthy Changes to the Child Nutrition Act

[Guest guest]

This request from PCRM (physicians' committee for responsible medicine) is meant

for anyone who is concerned that children's school lunches include healthy vegan

options.

Thanks,

Doris Sarni 

 

----- Forwarded Message ----

PCRM President Neal Barnard <cbreen

dsarni

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:30:07 AM

Help Make Healthy Changes to the Child Nutrition Act

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Dr. Sarni,

May I ask your help with a crucial opportunity to change schools meals?

Childhood obesity is at an all-time high. Yet school lunch meals continue to

emphasize high-fat foods, such as meat and cheese. Schools also continue to

serve hot dogs and other processed meats, despite a recent report from two major

cancer organizations conclusively linking processed meats to increased cancer

risk. Now is our chance to help schools include more healthful vegetarian

entrées and nondairy beverages.

The Child Nutrition Act, which includes the blueprints for the National School

Lunch and Breakfast Programs, comes up for renewal next year. To prepare, the

USDA is holding listening sessions around the country to gather public input on

how federal nutrition programs can improve. The next listening session will be

in San Francisco on August 6.

I would like to ask you to attend this session, and, if you would, to get

together with us by phone in advance to talk about how to be most effective.

PCRM conference call to prepare:

July 23, time to be determined.

To take part, please   

Here are four improvements that you can ask the USDA to make in the Child

Nutrition Act reauthorization in 2009:

1) USDA should provide schools with more vegetarian foods, including meat

substitutes, as part of its commodity programs.

2) USDA should reimburse schools for nondairy beverages, such as soymilk, just

as it does for cow’s milk. A student who desires soymilk instead of cow’s milk

should not need a note from home or a doctor.

3) USDA should stop including processed meats on the list of commodities

available for purchase by schools under the National School Lunch Program and

National Breakfast Program, since these products have been linked to increased

cancer risk.

4) Schools must provide nondairy, vegetarian meal options and healthful nondairy

beverages for breakfast and lunch on daily basis.

Please try to attend this listening session, and bring *anyone you know who is

concerned with how school meals affect American children.*

USDA Listening Session:

August 6, 2008, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

San Francisco Federal Building

90 Seventh St.

Rooms B020 & B040

San Francisco, CA 94103

Click here to see the agenda.

You must RSVP for this event. Click hereto download the RSVP form or call

415-705-1311 for more information.

If you are unable to make the session in person, you may submit comments

directly to the USDA by clicking here.

Please let us know if you have any questions. You may contact Caitlin Breen at

202-686-2210, ext. 325, or cbreen.

Best regards,

Neal Barnard, M.D.

PCRM President

 

 

 

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Caitlin Breen

Nutrition and Research Assistant

cbreen

 

 

 

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Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Ste. 400

Washington, DC 20016 Phone: 202-686-2210

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