In strong support

Keyed by industry lobbying efforts, nutrition advocates have been showing up in support of the fruit and vegetable snack program in the farm bill. We still don't know precisely when the Senate Agriculture Committee will convene, Washington lobbyists say. But discussion drafts of the nutrition title appear positive for the fruit and vegetable program. Discussion draft funding of $225 million per year compares with about $70 million in the House farm bill.
Here is a letter sent out by the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity ( NANA) :

Subject: URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED FOR NATIONAL EXPANSION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SNACK PROGRAM IN 2007 FARM BILL

Dear NANA member, We are at a key time in the Senate farm bill debate, with the Agriculture Committee tentatively scheduled to mark-up the bill the week of October 22. Ag Committee Chairman Senator Tom Harkin released his draft Chairman’s mark (draft bill) on October 4, 2007. The draft nutrition title is attached. National expansion of the Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program is one of NANA’s top Farm bill priorities. Section 4903 of the Chairman’s mark (also attached) would provide $225 million/year for national expansion of this effective nutrition program. This funding level would reach 4.5 million low-income school children in more than 5,000 schools across the country. Every state would receive base funding for more than 50 schools; states also could receive additional funding based on their total student population. Although the Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program enjoys broad bipartisan support in the House and Senate, there are significant funding constraints in the 2007 Farm Bill. Therefore, we need your help. Please sign the letter below to let the Senate know that your organization supports national expansion of Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program and the $225 million/year funding level provided in Senator Harkin’s Chairman’s mark. To indicate your support, please email me or my colleague Dana Roberts at droberts@cspinet.org as soon as possible (and no later than Monday, October 15th). Let me know if you need additional information about the program or the letter.

The Honorable Tom Harkin
Chairman

The Honorable Saxby Chambliss
Ranking Member

Dear Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Chambliss: Thank you for your support of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program and for your commitment to expand this effective nutrition program to more American children.
We the undersigned organizations write to express our strong support for national expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and for the funding levels provided in Senator Harkin’s Chairman’s mark (draft) released on October 4, 2007. While we understand that the Chairman’s mark is a draft and subject to broader farm bill agreement, we believe that the level of funding provided is a necessary and critical step that will pay future dividends in terms of improved child health and nutrition.
As outlined in the nutrition title, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program would be funded at $225 million annually. This funding level would enable more than 50 schools in every state to participate in the program. States also could receive additional funding based on their student populations. In total, 4.5 million low-income elementary school children would benefit from receiving a fresh fruit or vegetable snack every day at school. This proposal also includes funding for an evaluation of the program. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is a valuable nutrition program that results in children eating more fruits and vegetables and creates healthier school food environments. It is an important strategy to improve children’s health and reduce their risk of overweight/obesity and other diet-related health problems. While optimally we would like the program to reach every elementary school child in the nation, we recognize that there are significant constraints on funding in the farm bill and believe that this is a very positive step forward. Understanding that the Chairman’s mark is only a first step in the Senate farm bill process, we urge the Senate Agriculture Committee to expand this program nationally and we support the funding level of $225 million per year as provided in the draft nutrition title.