3 Reasons Why the Trump USDA’s School Nutrition Rollbacks Should Worry You—and What You Can Do About It
22 January 2018
Food
USDA
By Sarah Reinhardt
In May of 2017, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue moved to make school meals great again by issuing a proclamation in support of more lenient school nutrition standards. Specifically, the proposed rule permits the continued use of whole grain waivers, which exempt certain products from meeting whole grain standards; freezes current sodium limits through 2020, rather than moving forward with progressive sodium targets; and allows schools to serve low-fat flavored milk, which is currently disallowed due to its added sugar and fat content.
<p style="">The nutrition standards in jeopardy are among those established by the <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/healthy-hunger-free-kids-act" target="_blank">Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act</a> (HHFKA) of 2010, a landmark piece of legislation championed by former first lady Michelle Obama that marked the first overhaul of child nutrition regulations in decades.</p><p style="">And although May of last year might seem like a lifetime ago (<a href="http://blog.ucsusa.org/karen-perry-stillerman/the-trump-budget-is-an-affront-to-farmers-and-all-of-us?_ga=2.113304519.1541542912.1515964519-1983677090.1473724374" target="_blank">a</a> <a href="http://blog.ucsusa.org/rachel-cleetus/a-shameful-act-president-trumps-likely-withdrawal-from-the-paris-climate-agreement?_ga=2.118066505.1541542912.1515964519-1983677090.1473724374" target="_blank">few</a> <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/press/2017/president-trump-illegally-nominates-non-scientist-lead-science-usda#.WlvKgrQ-cWo" target="_blank">things</a> <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/trump-vows-to-kill-50-years-of-federal-health-and-safety-protections?_ga=2.50995817.1541542912.1515964519-1983677090.1473724374" target="_blank">have</a> <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/kathleen-rest/anti-science-nominee-kathleen-hartnett-white-faces-renewed-scrutiny-for-top-environmental-post" target="_blank">happened</a> <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/gretchen-goldman/trump-administration-rescinds-fracking-rule-for-public-lands-a-blow-to-public-protection?_ga=2.50995817.1541542912.1515964519-1983677090.1473724374" target="_blank">since</a> <a href="https://allthingsnuclear.org/syoung/the-trumps-adminstrations-dangerous-new-nuclear-policy" target="_blank">then</a>), the USDA is now inviting <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/11/30/2017-25799/child-nutrition-programs-flexibilities-for-milk-whole-grains-and-sodium-requirements" target="_blank">public comments on the proposed rule</a>, with a deadline of Jan. 29.</p><p style="">Here are the top three reasons we should all be worried about this rule—and what's driving us to take action to oppose it. You can submit a comment on behalf of yourself or your organization <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FNS-2017-0021-0001" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style=""><strong>1. We can't afford to let children's health become a second-tier priority.</strong></p><p style="">Let's get this out of the way: the most worrisome thing about the administration rolling back child nutrition standards is that the administration is rolling back child nutrition standards. <a href="https://stateofobesity.org/files/stateofobesity2017.pdf" target="_blank">Childhood obesity rates</a> tripled between the early 1970s and 2005, prompting public health researchers to predict that, for the first time in centuries, children may have <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/17/health/childrens-life-expectancy-being-cut-short-by-obesity.html" target="_blank">shorter life expectancies</a> than their parents. Childhood obesity rates have since plateaued at around 17 percent—progress that has <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/pressrelease/2014/009814" target="_blank">undoubtedly been propelled</a> by nutrition and physical activity policies like the HHFKA—but we have a long way to go to change the trajectory of U.S. population health. <a href="https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/executive-summary/" target="_blank">Half of all American adults</a> currently live with one or more diet-related chronic diseases, and about two thirds are overweight or obese. The medical costs associated with obesity now account for an estimated <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120409103247.htm" target="_blank">21 percent</a> of all national health expenditures. Our kids deserve better.</p><p style=""><strong>2. We can't afford to let industry interests become our top priority.</strong></p><p style="">The <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/11/30/2017-25799/child-nutrition-programs-flexibilities-for-milk-whole-grains-and-sodium-requirements" target="_blank">proposed rule</a> cites several justifications for altering school nutrition standards, including helping school food service authorities overcome procurement and menu planning challenges, and ensuring that students receive palatable meals that won't go to waste. But according to the USDA, more than <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/pressrelease/2016/0219-16" target="_blank">99 percent of schools</a> nationwide are already successfully meeting the nutrition standards put in place by the HHFKA. With full recognition of the tremendous amount of work it takes for schools and school food service staff to make these changes, the proof remains in the pudding: they did it. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/pressrelease/2014/009814" target="_blank">the USDA reported</a> higher school lunch revenue, greater fruit and vegetable consumption among kids, and no increase in food waste in the years following adoption of the new nutrition standards. So if this proposed rule isn't for schools, and it isn't for kids … who is it for? <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/karen-perry-stillerman/whos-against-healthy-school-lunches-for-kids-no-really-who-is-651" target="_blank">Hmm.</a></p><p style=""><strong>3. This rule could be a harbinger of more harmful regulatory rollbacks to come.</strong></p><p style="">A multitude of other <a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/PL111-296_Summary.pdf" target="_blank">evidence-based health and nutrition standards</a> were established with the passage of HHFKA, including required minimum servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/usda-school-meals-less-nutritious-2514817915.html">school meals</a>, availability of free water where meals are served, and limits on total calories, sodium, sugar, and fats in snacks sold in schools. These nutrition standards are rooted in the <a href="https://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietary-guidelines" target="_blank">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>, the cornerstone scientific report that guides federal nutrition policy and dietary recommendations for the general public; as such, they were adopted with the explicit aim of curbing childhood obesity and improving health outcomes for future generations. Just as a step toward these guidelines brings us closer to a healthier future, a step (or more) away takes us further, and lays bare a pointed preference for profit over people. If the "flexibility" granted to schools by this proposed rule is any indication of changes to come, we may be in some trouble.</p><p style=""><em><a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/author/sarah-reinhardt#.WmX8K5M-ccg" target="_blank">Sarah Reinhardt</a> is the food systems and health analyst for the Food & Environment program at the <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/" target="_blank">Union of Concerned Scientists</a>.</em></p>
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<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
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