
FRAC's Agriculture Appropriations Chart:
Federal Nutrition Program Funding - Fiscal 2008-2012 (pdf)
On Nov. 14, the Senate and House Appropriations Conferees released a first set of spending bills (being called a “minibus” rather than an “omnibus”). It includes FY2012 funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. The bill also includes a new continuing resolution (CR) that will keep other government programs funded through December 16.
The bill has unusual provisions limiting USDA’s authority in the final rule on school meal improvement – under development by USDA and the Institute of Medicine for years and a rule required by last year’s Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (child nutrition reauthorization). As a result, the new rule cannot contain the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations to limit potatoes and other starchy vegetables including corn and lima beans, or change the crediting requirements for tomato paste aimed at eliminating the ability to count pizza as a vegetable. USDA will also need to abide by certain conditions in setting policy around sodium and whole grains.
Unlike the original House language, this bill does not direct USDA to stop the rulemaking process and start again. USDA can continue to move forward with a rule for healthier school meals but they will be hampered in some respects by the restrictions placed on them by Congress. USDA still expects to publish the school meal rules by the end of this year.
For additional information see FRAC’s school meal rules issue brief, sign-on letter (pdf) and legislative language (pdf).
The Congressional language also raises fears that Congress will interfere with the process in other important forthcoming rules, like the one on competitive foods.
The report also includes language permitting schools and local educational agencies that participate in the National School Lunch Program to donate any leftover food to eligible local food banks and charitable organizations.
Additional Resources
Full Conference Report (pdf).
Joint Explanatory Statement of the Conference Committee (pdf).
Summary of the Minibus (pdf).