Nutrition subcommittee at work

We'll try to get United Fresh reaction from Lorelei DiSogra's tomorrow, but here is the discussion draft of the nutrition programs from the House Ag subcommittee on nutrition. As expected and feared, "contingent" and not mandatory funds are at work in the nationwide expansion of the fruit and vegetable program, though it appears the DOD Fresh Program receives an honest boost in Section 32 funding from $50 million in 2008 to $125 million in 2012. The subcommittee markup is Thursday.

Some excerpts:


Subtitle C—Child Nutrition and Related Programs
SEC. 4301. EXPANSION OF DOD FRESH PROGRAM.Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c) is amended by inserting after the 6th sentence, the following: ‘‘Of the funds available, the Secretary of Agriculture shall expend not less than $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $75,000,000 for both fiscal years 2009 and 2010, $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $125,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution to schools and service institutions in accordance with section 6(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1755(a)).’’.
SEC. 4302. EXPANSION OF FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM. (a) FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM.—Sec- tion 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is amended in subsection (g)— (1) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘July 2004’’ and inserting ‘‘July 2007’’; (2) in paragraph (5), in each of subparagraphs(A) and (B), by striking ‘‘2008’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’; and (3) in paragraph (6)(B)—(A) in clause (i) by striking ‘‘October 1, 2004, and on each October 1 thereafter,’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2007, and on each October 1 thereafter,’’
(b) CONTINGENT FUNDING AMENDMENT.—In title XI of this Act— (1) if changes to law not pertaining to the fresh fruit and vegetable program reduces outlays and/or increases revenue by an amount sufficient to offset the increased outlays that would occur over the period of fiscal years 2007 through 2012 and the period of fiscal years 2007 through 2017, if total funding for the fresh fruit and vegetable program were increased to $100,000,000 in each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012 (as estimated by the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives at the time of the enactment of this Act); and (2) if such reductions in outlays or increases in revenue in paragraph (1) are specifically and exclusively dedicated to increasing funding for fresh fruit and vegetable program from the amount specified in the amendment made by paragraph (3) to $100,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012; then (3) section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is amended in subsection (g)—(A) in paragraph (1), by amending sub paragraphs (A) and (B) to read as follows: ‘‘(A) 50 elementary or secondary schools in each State;‘‘(B) additional elementary or secondary schools in each State in proportion to the student population of the State; and’’; (B) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ‘‘paragraph (1)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1)’’; and (C) in paragraph (6)(B)(i), by striking‘‘$9,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$100,000,000’’.

TK: $100 million, 50 states, 50 schools in each state, plus additional schools based on proportional student population. But even with the goodwill toward the program, finding that kind of contingency funding will be a tooth and nail battle.