SNA Meets with Sec. Perdue to Discuss School Meal Programs 2018-09-21 SNA’s Wendy Weyer, Lori Adkins and Gay Anderson join Sec. Perdue at USDA Headquarters. This week, SNA was invited to participate in a roundtable with USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to discuss ways the Department can improve the administration of school meal programs. Representing SNA at the meeting were SNA President Gay Anderson, SNS, President-elect Doug Davis, SNS, At-Large Director Lori Adkins, SNS and Wendy Weyer, SNS, a past Public Policy & Legislation Committee Chair. The group discussed complex and burdensome administrative and reporting requirements and the need to streamline mandates so that school nutrition professionals can focus on feeding students. In a USDA press release on the event, Sec. Perdue said, “We are looking ahead for more ways to help local operators run world-class school meal programs.” The Secretary added that increasing program efficiency and accountability is a priority for USDA, as it makes the best use of taxpayer dollars. Representatives of the Council of the Great City Schools, National School Boards Association and The School Superintendents Association also participated in the meeting. USDA plans to meet with other school meal partners in the coming months. Officials also stressed that a final rule on school meal flexibilities is coming soon.