February 25, 2009

Federal School Lunch Program Lobbying

Why Can't Bureaucrats Put Kid's Health First?


Check out this video and blurb from the American News Project. No other media gets stuff like this. Well done, ANP!

Who decides what our children are eating?

To a large degree, it is the Federal Government.

Congress and the Department of Agriculture approve what foods can (and can't) be served to over 30 million American school children who get daily meals from the National School Lunch Program. The government gets a ton of pressure from a food and beverage industry frantic to keep kids hooked on a diet of sodas, snacks and hot dogs. The competition, for a piece of this $10 billion market, is particularly fierce right now because this year, the School Lunch Program is being reviewed and revised.

Despite the enormous nutritional and financial stakes at play, ANP was the only media to cover a recent panel set up to discuss the school menu.

While nutritionists outnumbered the press, corporate lobbyists outnumbered everyone.


Tags:
school lunch lobbyist politics revolving door food lobby pork pepsi corruption washington nutrition childhood obesity obesity

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