Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Marianna Levyash-Talk Radio News Service

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Friday pushed for the re-authorization of federal child nutrition programs that are currently instituted, particularly school meal plans.

"This next year will be an important year....the focus will be on improved access, improved quality and improved performance," the Secretary said during a conference call with reporters on Friday.

Vilsack discussed the importance of direct certification efforts, which automatically enroll students that receive other benefits, such as Medicaid, for school meal programs.

The Secretary also stressed the need to take steps to ensure the plans provide healthy meals.

“On school days, children may consume as many as one half of their calories at school. We want to make sure that those calories count," Vilsack said. "We can do that by establishing improved nutrition standards for school meals and establishing national standards for all foods sold in schools, including those sold in a la carte lines and vending machines to ensure our youngsters have healthy diets.”