|
|
More Americans 'Want a Personal Relationship With Their Food,' USDA Official Says
(CNSNews.com) - "As I’ve traveled the country, I’ve talked with more and more consumers who want a personal relationship with their food and are demanding to know more about it, where it came from and how it got to their plate," Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan wrote on the USDA blog Wednesday.
That's the same day First Lady Michelle Obama joined Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and celebrity chef Rachael Ray at Parklawn Elementary in Alexandria, Va., to announce new school lunch regulations. The rules call for more fruits, vegetables, and wholes grains on students' plates, along with low-fat milk and limited calories, salt, and saturated fats.
Merrigan says one of USDA's goals is to "connect" American demand for fresh, local food with producers who see that demand as a "ripe business opportunity."
As part of the Obama administration's "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative, USDA says it has developed a "dedicated Farm-to-School Team" and increased the number of farmers markets that accept federal assistance programs, such as food stamps. It also supports retailers featuring local foods as well as new farmers entering the local food system.
"But this is just the beginning," Merrigan said. Next month -- at its annual Agriculture Outlook Forum on Feb. 23-24 -- USDA will host a session on "making locally grown food more available."
The nation's schools are a growing outlet for that farm-fresh food, as new government regulations boost demand for it. And the Obama administration also has a hand in supply, as it supports farm-to-school programs, now operating in 48 states.
On Wednesday -- an at event unveiling the new school food rules, a USDA official expressed optimism that, over time, "more children will participate in the national school lunch program." (See story)
E-Brief
That's the same day First Lady Michelle Obama joined Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and celebrity chef Rachael Ray at Parklawn Elementary in Alexandria, Va., to announce new school lunch regulations. The rules call for more fruits, vegetables, and wholes grains on students' plates, along with low-fat milk and limited calories, salt, and saturated fats.
Merrigan says one of USDA's goals is to "connect" American demand for fresh, local food with producers who see that demand as a "ripe business opportunity."
As part of the Obama administration's "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative, USDA says it has developed a "dedicated Farm-to-School Team" and increased the number of farmers markets that accept federal assistance programs, such as food stamps. It also supports retailers featuring local foods as well as new farmers entering the local food system.
"But this is just the beginning," Merrigan said. Next month -- at its annual Agriculture Outlook Forum on Feb. 23-24 -- USDA will host a session on "making locally grown food more available."
The nation's schools are a growing outlet for that farm-fresh food, as new government regulations boost demand for it. And the Obama administration also has a hand in supply, as it supports farm-to-school programs, now operating in 48 states.
On Wednesday -- an at event unveiling the new school food rules, a USDA official expressed optimism that, over time, "more children will participate in the national school lunch program." (See story)
