HFO

Elizabeth Pivonka of the Produce for Better Health Foundation said she enjoyed the WIC reception at USDA's headquarters today. She observed USDA nutrition program staffers were very pleased about being able to be a part of the change in WIC food packages. Of course, a big part of the change was adding fruit and vegetable vouchers, but dairy, eggs and juice had their WIC food package allocations dialed down to reflect dietary guidelines. Given the politics of food - the strength of the dairy lobby, for example - it wasn't easy for the USDA to make those changes.

An inside joke at the agency, Pivonka related, was a reference to a now-retired nutrition staffer. The lady joked - after a hard-fought battle to modestly change the WIC food packages in 1980 - that hell would freeze before such an effort could succeed again. In that spirit, someone at USDA recently created some buttons with the letters "HFO."

Nice touch.