USDA: Students to consume fruits and vegetables in schools

March 28th, 2011 - 8:14 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt  

Washington DC, Mar 28 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The US Department of Agriculture has announced their plans to ensure that American school children get fruits and vegetables to consume.

The announcement was made on Friday by the Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack. Vilsack said that the move is part of the implementation of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. The USDA plans to achieve the objectives of the Act by providing assistance for some state agencies to implement the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program in the 2011/2012 academic year.

The Obama administration’s determination to ensure that healthy nutrition become part of the diet of school children in the United States led to the passage of the Act in 2008.

Some amounts will be given to territories like Puerto Rico which will get $922,269, Guam will be given $44,771 of the funding amount with the U.S. Virgin Islands getting $27,167 to implement the program.

In announcing the move, Vilsack said that, “Improving the health and nutrition of our kids is a national imperative and by providing schools with fresh fruits and vegetables that expand their healthy options, we are helping our kids to have a brighter, healthier future.”

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