Politics. On Point.

Investments in Application Systems to Improve Access to Nutrition Assistance Program Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced nearly $5 million in grants for eight State agencies to simplify Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application and eligibility systems and improve access to program benefits for America's low-income households. SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, helps ensure that people have access to healthy and nutritious food by providing low-income households with electronic benefits they can use to purchase food at authorized grocery stores. "Collaborative partnerships are critical to combating food insecurity and hunger in our communities," said Vilsack. "These grants will help reach our goal of increasing program access and participation among America's most vulnerable citizens and to deliver healthy and nutritious food assistance to those in need." USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) continues...

Wants To Sort Over Past Month's Events Shirley Sherrod, not returning to US Department of Agriculture. In a session earlier today, ousted and disgraced USDA employee, Shirley Sherrod stated that though the offer from USDA's Secretary Tom Vilsack to return was tempting, she needs a little time to "sort things out", and "take a break" from all she's had to deal with. As such, she's not coming back (at this time) to work at the USDA. "I think I can be helpful to him and the department if I just take a little break and look at how I can be more helpful in the future," Sherrod said. Sherrod was ousted from her position at the USDA amid out-of-context remarks that surfaced on the Internet earlier this month. Not ruling out the possibility of staying connected with the USDA, Sherrod said, "I look forward to some type of relationship with the department in the future," she said. "We do need to work on the issues of discri...

USDA Encourages Schools to Take the HealthierUS School Challenge to Help Improve the Nutrition of School Children Nationwide New Steps Taken To Make Challenge Easier and More Successful Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today encouraged schools throughout the country to participate in the HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC), an initiative that helps improve the health and nutrition of children. USDA created the HUSSC to recognize schools that maintain healthy school environments by improving the quality of meals and increasing physical activity and nutrition education. The HUSSC is also a key component of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign to end childhood obesity within a generation. "Even as Congress considers legislation to make historic improvements to school meals, there are also steps that moms and dads and others in the community can take to improve the health and nutrition of the meals their kids eat each day," said Vilsack. "While m...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s passage of “The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.” "I applaud the bipartisan action in the Senate today to reauthorize and reform the child nutrition and WIC programs by passing the “The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.” "First Lady Michelle Obama has been a tremendous champion for this legislation, and I commend the leadership of Senators Reid, McConnell, Lincoln, Chambliss and the remainder of the Senate for their unanimous support. This is a great victory for America's children. This bill advances the Obama Administration’s priorities to improve meal quality, strengthen nutrition standards for school meals, reduce barriers and increase access to healthy school meals, promote nutrition education, establish standards for competitive foods, and provide food to needy children during gap periods when the regular nutrition assistance programs are not in operation. Passage of this legis...

USDA Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service’s Deputy Under Secretary Darci Vetter will join former Senator George S. McGovern in Kenya May 10-16 to visit World Food Program sites and observe, first-hand, how nutrition programs fit into broader food security initiatives in Africa. “The World Food Program is an important participant in USDA’s McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program,” said Vetter. “Congress recognized the vision of Senators McGovern and Dole when it established this program. It is an amazing opportunity for me to travel with Senator McGovern and see firsthand the direct impact that these programs have on children and families.” McGovern currently serves as the Ambassador to the World Food Program and was recognized in 2008, along with Sen. Robert Dole, by the World Food Prize for his leadership in forging the link between the productivity of American farmers and the needs of hungry children around the world. Vetter and McGovern will...