FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Diane Pratt-Heavner
703-576-7526
media@schoolnutrition.org
School Nutrition Professionals Discuss School Cafeteria Challenges at SNA’s Legislative Action Conference
2014-03-02
Washington, D.C. (March 2, 2014) – Approximately 1,000 school nutrition professionals from across the country have gathered in Washington, D.C., for the School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) 42nd annual Legislative Action Conference (LAC). Attendees are urging Congress to protect school meal programs as part of Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2015.
LAC comes at a crucial time as school nutrition professionals struggle to manage the cost of meeting new nutrition standards for school meals. Since the standards were implemented in 2012, more than 1 million fewer students chose school meals each day and meal programs have experienced rising food costs with declining program revenue.
To ensure the long term sustainability of child nutrition programs, LAC attendees will discuss the need for regulatory flexibility to help manage costs, increase student participation and ease administrative burdens for school menu planners.
LAC features a “Charge to the Hill” on Tuesday, when attendees head to the US Capitol to meet their members of Congress and discuss these concerns and the reauthorization priorities outlined in SNA’s 2014 Position Paper. The “Charge to the Hill” will culminate in an SNA Capitol Hill Reception in Rayburn Cafeteria (March 4, 5:30 pm).
LAC attendees will also participate in General Session discussions on competitive food standards, called Smart Snacks in School, and proposed professional standards for school meal program personnel. USDA will provide an update on recent and upcoming regulatory changes as well. Click here for a schedule of events.
School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) 42nd annual Legislative Action Conference (LAC) runs from March 2-5, 2014, at the JW Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Media wishing to attend LAC must contact Diane Pratt-Heavner at (703) 576-7526 or media@schoolnutrition.org to register.
For more information on SNA’s 2014 Position Paper, click here.
About School Nutrition Association:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 55,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. To find out more about today’s school meals, visit www.TrayTalk.org.
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