California Agriculture Vision A Needs and Vision Statement

Transcription

1 California Agriculture Vision A Needs and Vision Statement 2008

2 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE VISION A Needs and Vision Statement Submitted by California School Nutrition Association INTRODUCTION The California School Nutrition Association represents more than six million children where four million breakfast and lunch meals are served daily. Under the guidelines of USDA s National School Lunch Program, a critical function of the program is to safeguard the health and well being of the Nation s children and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities. Both Federal and State regulations mandate that participating schools shall ensure that children gain a full understanding of the relationship between proper eating and good health. According to the Surgeon General s Office, 12.5 million children are overweight in the United States more than 17 percent. Overweight children are at greater risk for many serious health problems, such as Type 2 diabetes. California s children deserve high quality, safe, nutritious food in the school setting. Yet, many children in our great state are hungry. Children experiencing hunger have been shown to be more likely to have lower academic test scores, decreased attentiveness, increased likelihood of repeating a grade, increased absenteeism and tardiness, and more referrals to special education services. QUESTION #1 What is CSNA s vision for Agriculture in 2030? CSNA envisions a much stronger linkage with its agricultural providers in order to achieve the objectives set forth by the new Farm Bill. For this to happen, California agriculture must view itself as advocate partners of school nutrition providers, and not merely vendors. CDFA should take a leadership role in promoting every possible avenue to create this linkage. We envision a seamless, vertically integrated food system that maximizes government efficiencies from farm to fork and utilizes schools as the primary access point for the community s nutrition education and its better understanding of agriculture and the role it plays in health. The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (or, the 2008 Farm Bill ) also envisions American Agriculture and schools working in concert for these purposes. CSNA s goals are the same as those articulated in the new Farm Bill. If we are to take a holistic approach that adequately ties agriculture, nutrition education and consumer behavioral habits, then we must address the need for vertical integration. In the case of school nutrition programs and agriculture, there is a serious disconnect between customer (read: school nutrition programs) and provider (read: providers of agricultural products), which creates voids in nutritious new product development, nutrition education, potential agricultural sales, and creates obvious government

3 inefficiencies. CSNA believes the 2008 Farm Bill provides a Road Map for improved efficiencies between agriculture and nutrition programs if the two are properly aligned. A Farm Bill Road Map for Nutrition in California Schools EDUCATE AGRICULTURAL PROVIDERS: School nutrition programs are one of the single largest customers of California s agricultural products, yet the average farmer, rancher, dairyman, or fisherman knows nothing of our needs or how to market their products to us. We have specific portion, pricing and packaging requirements that they would gladly meet if providers viewed school nutrition as a viable customer set. There is a dire need to educate agricultural providers and formalize the relationship between agriculture and their school nutrition customers. NUTRITIOUS NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: In fact, a stronger linkage between schools and agriculture is needed immediately. The new Farm Bill allocates an increase of $1.02 billion for the USDA Snack Program, which helps schools provide healthy snacks to students during afterschool activities and will expand the current program to all 50 states. We need our agricultural providers and commodity organizations to develop these healthy snack foods in forms that are allowable in schools and in products that kids will eat. Schools will be more than happy to spend $1.02 billion on nutritious, agricultural based products if they are developed. SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS IN AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ORDERS: Schools are the most logical place for nutrition education, yet the current methods of education are uneven at best. Only school recipients of sizeable nutrition grants have adequate nutrition education programs. Yet, it is no coincidence that schools advocate providing students with a healthy snack on testing days in order to improve test scores. We envision stronger nutrition education programs being permanently institutionalized in schools that utilize the school meal programs as their centerpiece. We further envision a logical foundation for these nutrition education programs to be provided by agricultural marketing orders that have the ability to invest in nutrition education for their respective products. The dairy industry has been a model for years of voluntary nutrition education in schools. We believe that state and federal agricultural marketing orders that receive government oversight should be required to integrate school marketing into their annual plans, which will further align their vision with that of the Farm Bill. COMMUNITY WIDE NUTRITION EDUCATION: Schools are a logical outlet to reach families with education to a broader audience. We envision schools as a key access point for outreach to families who may be eligible for food stamps or who may have senior relatives who would benefit from the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). The California School Nutrition Association piloted nutrition education programs for parents throughout the state that were well attended and well publicized. We see this method as well as other methods as having great potential to meet the goals of the 2008 Farm Bill for nutrition education outreach for school meals, food stamp programs, CSFP and for the improvement of home nutrition. SCHOOLS AS COMMUNITY NUTRITION ACCESS POINTS: If we are to consider improving government efficiencies in the school food system, we cannot overlook the efficiencies that could be gained by looking more broadly. What if the applications for eligibility for Food Stamps and the school meal reduced or free meal programs were combined and processed as one? For the application process and the point of education to be consolidated makes sense for the government and for the citizen. We believe a simplified, combined process would net broader utilization of these vital nutrition programs. Moreover, for educational outreach and eligibility information for these programs to come from schools may help to reduce any perceived stigma that currently prevents eligible applicants from benefitting. BUY LOCALLY: The 2008 Farm Bill requires USDA to allow schools and other institutions receiving funds under the National School Lunch and Child Nutrition Acts to use geographic preference for the procurement of unprocessed agricultural products, both locally grown and locally raised [Sec.4302]. If, in fact, California schools had an ideal relationship with their agricultural providers, it is possible that we could maximize the Farm Bill s intent to create significant

4 customer relationships with California agriculture and innovate direct purchasing and surplus removal programs that benefit both schools and potentially utilize schools as a produce distribution point for produce that is sold to food stamp participants and seniors. MARKETING & SPECIAL INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITIES: Special Initiatives in Title IV of the new Farm Bill includes a competitive grant program called Initiative to Address Obesity Among Low Income Americans and specifically seeks strategies that include school food service, points of sale and food stamp outreach. As a major point of sale for all school age Californians, the members of the California School Nutrition Association are ideally qualified to reach young minds and influence them positively. This, as well as other Farm Bill opportunities, presents further nutrition education outreach platforms for agricultural partners. Miscellaneous other additions to the new Farm Bill s Nutrition Title should be maximized by better agriculture school partnering, such as the mandatory Section 32 funding (Sec ) that will provide $356 million for the purchase of fruits and vegetables through 2011 in low income elementary schools. Is California agriculture prepared to to begin taking advantage of this sales opportunity when funding becomes available in October 2008? They would be prepared if a closer relationship existed between school nutrition and California agriculture. FOOD SAFETY: The recent Westlands Beef Administrative Recall emphasized the need for an improved communication plan that immediately alerts school food service of issues related to food safety as it pertains to agricultural products. The current process is heavily reliant upon private sector distributor providers to notify their school customers. Alternately, USDA notifies the California Department of Education who then is charged with notifying schools. A real time, direct communication from the Department of Agriculture to food service directors could cut the communication time by up to 24 hours 24 critical hours when food safety is the issue. CREATE AN ANNUAL PLAN FOR AGRICULTURAL INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS: CSNA desires a formal relationship with CDFA that, at a minimum, results in an Annual Plan that addresses the following: o How state agricultural marketing orders will include school nutrition in their Annual Plans; o Continuous improvement in the customer/provider relationship between school nutrition entities and agricultural providers; o Facilitation and prioritization of nutritious new product development that meets school standards with agricultural products, including whole wheat; o Annual reviews of food safety measures and crisis management plans specific to schools that minimize risk to children and unnecessary waste. o A review of private and government grant opportunities that may be beneficial to the mutual goals of school nutrition programs and agriculture. QUESTION #2: What will be the biggest challenge in achieving that vision? Challenge #1 INADEQUATE FUNDING OF SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS If the proper nutrition of Americans and the reduction of obesity and obesity related disease is truly a national priority (as the 2008 Farm Bill indicates), then funding school nutrition programs must be prioritized appropriately. CSNA envisions that CDFA and California agriculture in its entirety will support California s schools in gaining appropriate funding for school meals, which are in large part comprised of California s agricultural products. While the public increasingly expects schools to serve fresh fruits and vegetables in school meal programs, funding is a barrier to the purchasing of the products, the equipment to safely serve and store it, and the labor needed to handle it.

5 California food and labor costs are higher than most states. The new Farm Bill indexes funding for other nutrition programs such as food stamps, and California schools critically need a more appropriate method of calculating funding that includes economic factoring and indexing. In fact, we cannot wait to fund school meals in California appropriately if we are to achieve the nation s prioritized goals of reducing childhood obesity and obesity related disease if we are expected to continue to weather food and labor cost increases based on the current archaic formulas. Our state s children desperately need the political power of California agriculture to advocate on their behalf. Challenge #2 COMPLEXITIES OF SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS School nutrition programs are reliant on a spectrum of government agencies and private enterprise in order to feed children. Additionally, they are subject to the requirements of multiple agencies and local school boards for standards. This burden of complexity adds cost and inefficiency to the system and can create barriers to innovation. Moreover, a common complaint from agriculture is that they a) don t know who the purchasing authority is; b) don t know how to sell to schools; c) in many cases, believe all foods served in schools are commodity surpluses; d) don t know that they could responsibly market their agricultural products on school campuses, reaping long term consumer benefits. In California school nutrition programs operate with the following authorities: USDA, Food & Nutrition Services: Provides HAACP and child nutrition program guidelines. Responsible to communicate Food Safety Alerts and Recalls to each state s authorizing agency (California Department of Education) and distributor/vendors. USDA, Agricultural Marketing Services: Purchases agricultural products nationally for federal feeding programs. Input for products used by schools is generally provided by USDA FNS. United States Department of Defense: Contracting federal agent that delivers fresh produce to many schools. May work in conjunction with private produce distributors. California Department of Education: Agricultural Commodity Distribution for schools resides here. CDE accepts school orders for agricultural commodities and relates them to USDA FNS. After receiving a Food Safety Alert/Recall from USDA FNS, CDE is responsible to communicate it to schools. Authorizing Agency that compiles all reporting for school nutrition programs. California Department of Health & Human Services: Provides nutrition education and administers grant programs that fund nutrition education. There is no requirement whatsoever that nutrition education to be linked to school meal programs. County Health Department: Conducts health & safety inspections at school sites. All school food service operations are required to meet inspection and safety standards identical to commercial restaurants. If they do not, violations are issued and may be reported in the media. School Districts/Boards: Personnel and budgetary approvals, program approvals and oversight of varying degrees. Prioritization of school meal programs in school budgeting is widely variant from district to district. Generally, school nutrition programs are expected to at least break even. California Department of Food and Agriculture: No formal relationship exists with school food & nutrition programs.

6 Challenge #3 MAXIMIZATION OF CDFA ROLE IN FOOD & NUTRITION CSNA believes California agriculture would benefit greatly from a closer relationship with schools. The benefits could include increased sales in schools, the education of future consumers on the nutritional benefits of agricultural products, greater utilization of nutrition programs by low income citizens, and the larger mission of improving the well being of Californians. We believe the potential benefits to agriculture are so great that a designated role at CDFA should be established to maximize the potential and work cooperatively with CSNA in the development and fulfillment of an Annual Plan. QUESTION #3 In 2030, how has public perception of agriculture changed? Society will have come to value agriculture and the protection of American agriculture as a security, environment and health priority. Moreover, due to improved educational efforts, a new generation of Americans has a better understanding and appreciation for the origin of their food and respect the need to preserve and protect the lifestyles it affords all Americans. Conversely, Americans believe that agribusiness is unwaveringly committed to protecting the environment from which they harvest and the safety of the food they produce. QUESTION #4 What is a must have in the Ag vision for California? Permanent education in schools that teach children these lessons for life: The origin of their food & why that s important Proper nutrition Healthy food preparation Environmental contributions of agriculture The value of the preservation of agriculture in America Experiential nutrition education via the school meal programs SUMMARY CSNA is optimistic that the next 22 years will bring a closer relationship between schools and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (and its constituent base), increasing government efficiency and reducing waste. Moreover, an improved alignment of mutual goals will bring our state closer to being able to achieve the objectives set forth in the 2008 Farm Bill, which creates the expectation to improve the nation s health and well being with better nutrition in homes and in schools. The resulting benefits of a better relationship between California Agriculture and California school nutrition providers could be: A customer/provider relationship between schools and agriculture that would lead to new product development, packaging and nutrition education alliances that would mutually benefit agriculture and school nutrition programs. Nutrition education that establishes school nutrition programs as the access point for information, including Food Stamp Outreach, Commodity Supplemental Food Program Outreach, and parent outreach.

7 A strategic, collaborative relationship with CDFA that results in an Annual Plan that seeks to educate agricultural providers and marketing orders about their school customers, forecasts potential sales for California agriculture in the school segment, and aggressively pursues grant opportunities that promise beneficial nutrition outcomes for California families. Through CDFA, an improved understanding between CSNA and agriculture that could result in increased advocacy on behalf of school nutrition programs from the powerful voice of California agriculture. Through CSNA, an increased awareness among school children of the origins of their food and the vital role of American agriculture in their health, their quality of life, and the nation s well being. Respectfully submitted July 2008