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Statement

STATEMENT OF KRISTIN ROWE-FINKBEINER ,CEO and Executive Director, MomsRising, On Proposed Nutrition Standards for School Snacks and Beverages

February 1, 2013
Youth & Family Justice

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Moms Applaud USDA for New Proposed Nutrition Standards for School Snacks and Beverages
“We applaud the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for taking action to ensure that kids have healthier snack foods and beverages at schools by proposing new nutrition standards for a la carte lines, vending machines, and school stores.
 
“As moms, we want our kids to eat healthy foods, but the reality is that parents can’t really monitor what their kids eat and drink while they’re at school. Children spend a significant part of their day in school, and consume nearly half of their total daily calories there. Setting nutrition standards will help keep our kids healthy, and will support the choices families are already making at home.
 
“At a time when one in three kids in the United States is overweight or obese, these standards will go a long way to help reduce children’s risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic illnesses.
 
“We also know that children who eat well aren’t just healthier; they also do better in school. And healthier kids mean lower health care costs, a better-prepared workforce, and a stronger economy for all of us.
 
“During the 60 day comment period, MomsRising will be reaching out to our more than one million members to provide the USDA with comments and feedback about the proposed nutrition standards for school snacks and beverages. Moms will be making their voices heard to ensure that there is a strong final rule.”
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.