Weak New Standards For Food In Schools

Photo by Lee Klein

They say the $4.5 billion dollars spent will yield a leaner hamburger

​The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee approved legislation on Wednesday that would allow the Agriculture Department to create new standards for all foods in schools, including vending machines. This translates to a 6 cent reimbursement increase to the schools per student meal, less than half of what the Obama administration had asked for. But what is really mind blowing is that the 6 cent hike is the first such increase in 36 years! Think of how much food, labor, and all other costs have risen since 1973. If you believe that feeding this sort of cheap crap to our school children hasn't had negative consequences, you're probably not known for your observation skills.

Well, at least this 4.5 billion dollar bill (over ten years) is sure to cut down on unhealthy foods such as artery-clogging trans fats being fed to the school kids. Or not. Seems that when New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand offered an amendment to ban those precise foods, the Chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee, Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark), blanched -- she said it's not the Committee's job to tackle such issues. And did we mention that industries that truly care about the health of Americans -- you know, like Mars Inc. and PepsiCo. -- will be adding their two cents to the Agriculture Committee dialogue? Actually, it will no doubt be a whole lot more than two cents, full sum to be paid under the table.

This is the sort of spineless, washed-down, overly compromised piece of bullshit legislative wallpaper that makes the Democratic Party so nauseating. Especially to Democrats.