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Statement

STATEMENT OF KRISTIN ROWE-FINKBEINER, Executive Director and CEO, Momsrising.org, On the United States Department of Agriculture’s Snack Rule

June 27, 2013
Youth & Family Justice

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Moms Thank USDA for Helping Reduce Kids’ Access to Junk Food at School
“Moms understand how important it is to make sure that their kids have a nutritious diet and they do their best to provide it, but too often their efforts are undermined by junk food sold at school. That’s why the USDA’s Smart Snacks in Schools rule is so important to families and to ensuring our kids grow up healthy.
 
“We’re delighted that parents and others concerned about our kids’ health and welfare have such a strong ally in the USDA. The new Smart Snacks in Schools rule is an important step for improving kids' health, setting a minimum nutritional baseline for snacks and beverages sold in schools. These guidelines, combined with the earlier standards improving the nutritional value of school meals, will help schools support parents’ efforts to make sure their kids are eating right.
 
“With childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes at almost epidemic levels, the Smart Snacks in Schools rule is coming none too soon. That’s one of many reasons that MomsRising.org members joined forces with other concerned parents and advocates to submit more than 200,000 comments in support of the rule.
 
“The Smart Snacks in Schools rule is going to go a long way toward ensuring that the next generation grows up healthy, strong and smart.”
 

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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.